Feudal Fairytale
by shelby.fay
Summary: Full summary inside. Bella gets pulled 500 years into the past by a demon. There she meets Edward, a half-vampire who seeks a strange stone to make himself complete. Can she convince him that he's perfect the way he is, or will he and everything they've worked so hard for fall prey to the demon inside him?
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Ok, this will (without a doubt) be the strangest fanfiction you've ever read. It's an **_**Inuyasha/Twilight**_** crossover. My first real kind of fantasy fanfic. Don't like, don't read, but I would like some feedback, please!**

**FULL SUMMARY: **Bella Swan, an average ninth grader, is pulled into an ancient well by a demon, bringing her 500 years in the past to the feudal era. There she meets Edward, a half-demon who seeks the Sacred Jewel to make himself a full demon. With Edward and new friends, Bella's search for the Jewel of Four Souls begins...

_**Adventure and romance, demons and fantasy**_—_**come enter the exciting world of The Feudal Fairytale!**_

* * *

Prologue

**Edward's POV**

I ran through the forest, eager to meet her. She'd promised to be at the largest tree in the woods, where she would give me the sacred jewel. But I'd changed my mind. I didn't want to be a full vampire anymore. She had promised to live with me, to be my wife, if I became a full _human _instead. And so I would use the jewel to change myself to fit her wishes.

Just as I was rounding the bend towards our rendezvous, three arrows just missed me, landing in a tree to my side. I whirled around. I had been so deep in my thoughts, I hadn't even heard any approach.

Behind me, about fifteen feet away, was Tanya, the very girl I was about to give up my demonic powers for. She had her next arrow pulled back and ready to fire at me. More shocking still was the horribly angry expression on her face.

What had I done? I was only following through with her wishes. Why was she trying to kill me?

"Die, Edward!" she screamed, releasing the arrow.

I almost didn't dodge it in time, but with my half-vampire speed, I could escape it.

I still didn't understand. I hadn't done anything to warrant this. Even back when we used to fight constantly, she'd never seriously tried to kill me. The look on her face from moments ago told me she was willing to do anything to me now. And not in the good way.

Well, if she was going to betray me, it didn't matter what I did to her. I would steal the jewel anyway and become a full demon.

The humans of her village had always been distrustful of me, but since their priestess Tanya had hung around me so much, they figured I couldn't be all bad. When they finally figured out my intentions toward the jewel, they put up a pitiful defense.

I ran back around through the forest, weaving through trees, and from above a net dropped around me, pinning me to the ground for a few seconds. I almost laughed. Did they really believe a simply _net_ would stop me?

I jumped up into the air and used my short, sharp nails to cut through the thin ropes. I laughed a little, hearing the men of the village warning each other.

"It's Edward!"

"Protect the jewel!"

"Where's Lady Tanya?"

"Run for your lives!"

Sad, really.

I didn't even bother with the humans. I jumped right over them all, crashing through the roof of the shrine that held the jewel. When I landed inside, I realized there were incenses stood around it to ward off demons. Sure, it irritated the hell out of my nose, but I could easily deflect the smell with my special clothes. Really, those humans should've thought this through better. It shouldn't have been this easy.

I simply walked across the floor and snatched the jewel off its pedestal.

The door banged open and arrows and spears came flying in at me, while I ducked and dodged. Finally, some opposition. It wasn't really fun winning when no one tried.

I jumped through the roof again, and sped off down the stone path out towards the forest. It was finally going to happen for me. I was going to become a full vampire. Then I heard the sound of approach.

"Edward!" a female voice I knew only too well yelled.

Reflex reaction. I turned my head, pausing my run, just in time to see Tanya fire another well-aimed arrow.

The pain was too intense to describe. The arrow pierced me right through the heart, pinning me to the tree behind me. The jewel flew out of my hands and landed on the ground in front of me.

Why? Why would she do this to me? I noticed her shoulder was badly wounded, but her ferociously angry expression called to me more.

"T-Tanya!" I stuttered, trying to hide the pain I was in. Another reflex reaction that I'd learned through the years: never show others how hurt you are. "How could—? I thought—"

My mind couldn't seem to form any coherent sentences. I was so tired, my eyes suddenly so heavy... This couldn't be death coming so swiftly, it was too painful. I struggled to fight off the inevitable sleep, but it was futile. My eyes slowly closed against my will.

The world went black.

* * *

**Tanya's POV**

There. The betrayer was as good as dead. It had taken literally the last ounce of my strength, but I was glad to see him at my mercy. I wouldn't kill him—that would be too good for him. I would trap him on that tree forever, making sure he never woke but never died. He would stay that way forever. Unless, of course, I changed my mind and freed him. Not likely.

I groaned. His damn claws were sharper than they looked. The pain in my shoulder was ever-intensifying. I was dripping blood onto the grass as I stumbled my way over to the jewel.

The slow villagers were finally catching up to Edward, and they ran around me, all gasping in unison and horror at the sight of me. I almost wondered if I looked that bad, but I didn't have the energy. I could only pass along my final wish.

"Sister!"

The was Irina's voice... I tried to lift my head to see her, but couldn't quite manage it. At least she'd come. There was no one better to the task. She would, after all, become the next priestess in our family after my death.

I vaguely felt her collapse at my side, where I knelt on the ground in front of the jewel.

"Sister," she whispered in horror, seeing my shoulder. "How were you wounded?"

"My cowardliness," I answered, wincing. It hurt to speak more than it did to move, "...has resulted in this." I picked up the jewel, glaring at it as though it were source of all my problems. In a sense, it was. The jewel did nothing but bring pain and suffering. "All for this," I muttered. Suddenly, my life's work and ambitions seemed meaningless. "The Jewel of Four Souls." I cried out involuntarily, the burning pain rapidly becoming too great for even I to withstand.

"You must let someone tend to your injury," Irina begged.

"I won't feel it much longer," I managed to say through gritted teeth. "Listen to me, Irina. Take the jewel... and burn it with my body. It must never fall into the hands of those who would abuse it."

I swayed, my vision blurring. Could this really be how it all happened? It wasn't supposed to end this way! _We_ weren't supposed to end this way...

I gasped, the pain in my shoulder becoming sharper than the claws that had inflicted it. It was closely followed by a new pain: a horrible burning in my chest that made me unsure if I should cry, scream, or kill. I wanted to kill. I wanted to make that bastard pay for everything he'd done to me.

I cried out invonluntarily, shocked. The pain was receding... I was so tired all of a sudden... At least I could take the jewel with me to the other world, where no one could use it.

And then the world went black as my sister screamed, _"Sister!"_

* * *

**I hope that was good enough to spark your interest, at least. I know it wasn't the best, and the first couple to follow won't be so good, either. I do have to introduce everything, you know. But hopefully this was good enough for now.**

**Please review!**


	2. The Girl Who Overcame Time

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer, and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

The Girl Who Overcame Time, and the Boy Who Was Just Overcome

**Bella's POV**

I really couldn't quite believe it. I didn't _feel_ any different. Ever since I could remember, I would always try and see if I'd grown any, or changed at all for my birthday. But tomorrow was my fifteenth birthday, and absolutely nothing felt like it had changed about me. How disappointing.

Grandma Marie, who I was named for, was an eccentric (sometimes accused as crazy) old lady who believed in the past with such tenacity, no one argued with her anymore. Even though her beliefs were ludicrous. I always felt bad for Eric, my younger brother, because he was always her outlet. She wanted him to become the next priest of the family, even though those were practically extinct. I mean, come on, it's 2009, for God's sake. No one believes in that kind of thing anymore.

Grandma led me into one of our storehouses and showed me the new product she had created for tourists to buy. They were rather unattractive key chains with little marbles on the bottom.

"What are these things?" I asked, a little bored.

"These are replicas of the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls," she answered, seeming quite pleased with herself. She always acted this way when she felt she knew something most people didn't. "It will bring happiness and prosperity without fail!"

I put the jewel keychain right up near my face to get a better look. If anything, it only looked stupider. "You don't actually think tourists will buy these dumb things, do you?" I asked skeptically. "Keychains are really out of style now."

"That's no ordinary keychain!" Grandma shot back indignantly. "The crystal at the end signifies the—"

She cut herself off, realizing I wasn't listening anymore. Our cat, Ink, thinking the keychain was a toy for himself, starting trying to swat the thing out of my hand. I pulled it farther and father out of his reach, teasing him. He stretched far across my lap, his fat belly heavy on my knees, straining to reach it.

"Listen, Bella," she admonished. She cleared her throat and began again, though I still wasn't listening. "The origin of this shrine's jewel—"

I gasped, cutting her off. "Grandma, do you remember what tomorrow is?"

She looked a little annoyed at another interruption, but then she laughed indulgently. "How could I forget my only granddaughter's birthday?" she asked rhetorically. She started twisting around, looking for something.

I gasped again. "A present?" I asked, getting excited.

Oh... my... God. Was she serious? This was like the worst gift ever. It was some crusty green hand. It was sickening.

"That, my dear, is the mummified hand of a water imp, which is sure to bring happiness and—"

"Here, Ink," I said, cutting her off and handing the cat the hand. "Eat."

God. "Replica" this. "Origin," "antique," that. My family had lived on that shrine for generations, and there, _everything _had a story.

The "house" itself was actually built on the property of a very old shrine. There was a "sacred" tree that was supposedly over 500 years old, and a covered well that probably had its own legend. In fact, there wasn't a single thing about my family's entire property that didn't have a legend.

At dinner that night, Grandma tried to tell us that the vegetables we were eating were some old historic stuff. "Why, the origin of these vegetables is—"

"I thought they were from Mrs. Newton's store," I interrupted. Eric and Mom laughed while Grandma looked pissed.

And yet... no matter how many times Grandma tried to tell me those legends, I always forgot them. I never even thought about trying to remember them. What was the point, when there were more important things like math equations to memorize?

I paused on my way out the door to call back to my mom that I was leaving, and then ran out into the yard on my way to the bus-stop. I came to an uncertain stop, though, when I saw my eight-year-old brother in the well house, a place we'd been told all our lives not to play in because it wasn't safe. The wood of the little one-room building was probably rotten clean through.

"Eric," I sighed, irritated, walking over to him. "You know you're not allowed in here."

"I'm not," he said, turning back to look in the room. That was when I noticed he was holding a bowl of some revolting-looking crap. It looked like soggy oatmeal with a fish on top. "It's Ink," he explained.

"Did he go down to the Well?" I asked.

We both walked inside, searching—but looking for a midnight-black cat in a barely-lit room was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The building was tiny, just one room, and it was built like a museum's exhibition room. Which, admittedly, it was. The floor of the building was actually several feet off the ground, a wrap-around patio looking down on the creepy wooden well that had been built centuries ago. Eric crouched down at the top of the stairs leading down to the well.

"Ink," Eric called nervously down into the darkness. Then he spoke to me, but he didn't look away. "I think he's at the bottom."

I sighed and sat squatted down on the top of the stairs, bored already. "So go down," I suggested.

"But why do _I_ gotta be the one to do it?" he whined.

"Because _you're _the one that's looking for him," I said carelessly.

The words weren't even out of my mouth before a horrible scratching noise came from down the stairs. It was obvious Ink was using the Well as a new scratching post. Eric freaked and jumped behind me like I was a shield.

"Ah!" he shrieked. "Something's down there!"

I rolled my eyes. "Uh, yeah. The cat."

I could see that he wasn't going anywhere, so I sighed again and rose to a standing position. As I walked down the stairs and my eyes adjusted to the scant light, I noticed the sound wasn't coming from around the Well... It was coming from _inside_ it.

I froze at the bottom of the stairs. How could Ink have gotten in there? Was that even Ink? What if it was some escaped convict or something hiding out? Hopefully my imagination was just running overboard. I couldn't deal with something like that right now.

Something rubbed against my legs, causing me to shriek and jump back. Eric, not even seeing what had happened but hearing my scream, also screamed and fell most ungracefully onto his lazy butt.

I looked down to see... Ink.

Eric registered who it was, too, and said in a flatly, "Ink."

The cat purred loudly, grazing along my legs. I bent down and picked him up.

"You scared me, Bells!" Eric complained indignantly. "You make fun of me 'cause I'm scared and then you're all, _'Ahh!'_ over the cat!" He scoffed.

I indignantly turned on my heel to face him, still holding Ink. "Look who's talking, Mister Why-Do-I-Have-To-Go?"

Staring at his angry face, I watched as it turned confused and then scared beyond belief. I heard it, too. Even though Ink was safe in my arms, the scratching noise was still coming from inside the Well.

Eric jumped to his feet, screaming in shock, when the doors of the Well burst open and a huge gust of wind came out and sucked me in. Or at least, that's what I think happened. It all happened so fast, I couldn't really be sure.

Then, falling down the well, I felt hands on my arms. Way too many hands to belong to one person. I felt two on my right arm, two on my left, one on each shoulder, one in my hair, and one cupping my face. Eight arms, total. So four people were in there with me? Were they the ones that had dragged me down?

Why was I being so calm about this? Shouldn't I be freaking out or something? Maybe I was in shock.

The hand that was cupping my face slowly grabbed my chin and turned my head to face it.

All eight arms belonged to one person. Or... _thing._ There were no words to describe what that creature was. It had the upper body of a woman, excluding the eight arms, but it had the lower body of a centipede. Gross!

"Such joy!" the disgusting beast cried out, almost speaking to itself. "Already, I can feel my strength returning."

As I watched, chunks of flesh randomly appeared on her skeletal tail-thing. I blinked. What had I _eaten_ last night?

I struggled to break free of her eight-armed grip, but she wasn't having any of that. "You have it, don't you?" she asked me. What was she talking about? "Give it to me!" she demanded.

Then she did something that truly made me want to throw up: _she licked my face._

"What the hell are you doing, you freak?" I demanded, trying to push her away. "You're disgusting! _Let go!"_

I pushed on her face, and suddenly a light sprang from my palm and burned her into submission. One of her arms immediately was cut off by the strange light that came from me, and it still clung to my arm as though she were still controlling it.

I looked at my hand in horror, as though it belonged to someone else. "What the—?"

"You little—!" the creature said angrily, fading away like she was a piece of wind personified. "You won't escape from me! I must have the Sacred Jewel!"

"...Sacred Jewel?" I repeated dumbly as she disappeared.

That's when I realized I was still falling. Damn, how deep _was _this well?

Finally, I landed at the bottom, panting, on my hands and knees. The detached arm was no longer holding onto my own. I looked up to the sky, and it turned out the well wasn't as deep as the fall made it seem. Maybe my adrenaline rush made things seem slow-mo.

What if I'd just accidentally fallen down the well by myself? iMaybe it had all been a dream.

I glanced around and saw the pale arm of the beast still beside me. I gasped and looked wildly around for my escape route. _Then again, maybe not._

I looked up and saw a really bright light at the entrance of the well. Strange, the well house was really dark. Maybe Mom or Eric brought a flashlight and were searching for me.

"Eric!" I called up, thinking he might still be there. "Get Mom and Grandma!"

No answer or reply came down to me.

Ugh. The twerp probably ran off. I grabbed some vines falling down the well and used them to climb out. It was long work because some kept breaking and I'd have to react quickly, but I finally made it out. When I reached the top, I sat down on the brim of the well heavily, my mouth and eyes wide open in horror.

The well and I were outside in some wilderness.

But the well I'd fallen down was in the old well house on our land. It was covered. It couldn't have traveled across land like Dorothy's house or something. Things like that didn't happen in real life.

I jumped off the brim, hoping against hope that I'd just come out of an adjoining well or something and was still close to home. Not that I remembered a place like this anywhere near home, but still...

"Grandma! Mom! Eric!" I called randomly, walking through bushes and trees. I found some haphazard path and decided to take it. Maybe this was some trail around our backyard that I'd somehow missed the whole fifteen years of my life.

Several minutes of pointless wandering later, I knew I hadn't missed anything. The house and everything else was gone. Then where was _I_?

That was when I noticed the sacred tree. It was always just outside our house, and larger than life. It wasn't something you could easily miss.

"The tree!" I gasped out loud to no one in particular, relief flooding through me like a sweet wave. "That means I'm practically home!"

It was almost ironic, really. Even as a kid, I could always find my way home by this tree, and here I was, fifteen years old with a driving permit, still using it as a North Star.

I ran down the remaining path and pushed through the last bushes to come face-to-face with... a boy.

I blinked, stunned. The roots of the tree created vine-like ensnaring, pinning the boy to the tree. No, wait. That wasn't what had held him there in the first place. There was an arrow sticking out of his chest, having gone straight through his body and into the tree. Ouch.

He didn't _look_ dead, though. Just peacefully sleeping.

And so _beautiful_. No boy should ever be allowed to look so godly. It wasn't fair. He looked to be about sixteen or seventeen and he had bronze-colored hair that wasn't long but wasn't short either. A strange cut—and in complete disarray. His skin was too pale to be real. Maybe he was just a statue. I tilted my head to the side, noticing the way his hair fluttered in the breeze. No, he was definitely real. He had a muscular figure that was still slim and light-looking, and he had perfectly chiseled features. A more perfect boy had never existed, I was sure of it.

But what was he doing on our tree, pinned to it like that? Those vines around him hadn't grown overnight, and I sure hadn't seen him before. I would've noticed something like that.

Well, if he was sleeping, might as well try to get something out of him.

I jumped up onto the roots holding him in place, nervously calling out, "Um... Are you ok?"

No answer. His eyes didn't even open. Nothing changed except the wind ruffling his tousled hair a bit.

"What _do_ you there?"

I gasped, nearly falling off the roots and onto my butt. I turned to see two men, both armed—if you could really call it being _armed—_with a bow and quiver of arrows. I stared. Were they serious? If someone broke in on my property, I'd have grabbed Charlie's old gun and gone ballistic.

I couldn't really see them, though. Only their silhouettes, as the sun was behind them.

They opened fired at me, and I shrieked and flung myself onto the boy for whatever protection I could get. Reflex reaction, really.

"This land is forbidden!"

"Be you a stranger?"

"Um... what?" I asked. What the hell was with their speech?

The boy didn't move. Ok, I was really beginning to think he wasn't real. No one slept _that _hard.

**#$%! #$%! #$%!**

The next thing I knew, my ankles were tied and my wrists were bound behind my back. I was practically thrown onto some sort of mat on the floor, and the entire village of people were staring at me like _I_ was the freak, when they're clothes suggested the exact opposite. They were all wearing really, really, _really_ old clothes. Like, clothes from a thousand years ago or something. The kinds of clothes that people wore on Halloween and called "medieval costumes."

But what annoyed me more was the fact that they chattered amongst themselves as loudly as though they believed I couldn't hear them—or understand them.

"She was found in Edward's Forest...?"

"Aye, a lass in queerest rags, she is!"

"She's come spyin', I wager!"

"Then another battle's a-brewin'?"

"No, she's one of them fox demons usin' magics to look a girl, I say!"

Suddenly a voice rang out loud and clear over the babble of the other villagers. "Make way, make way! Lady Irina, the high priestess, is come!"

Some really old lady wearing stranger clothes than even the rest of them came walking calmly and in a dignified way over to me, holding some sort of pot. I sighed. Here came another weirdo. When she got about two feet away, she stopped and looked down at for me one brief glance before shoving her hand into the pot and then flinging nasty water all over me.

"Demon, begone!" she cried.

"Hey!" I coughed. That water was _vile_. She must have put something in it. "Stop it! I'm not a demon!"

"Are ye not?" she asked skeptically. "Then why were ye found in Edward's Forest?"

Was she serious? "Ye"? No one said that anymore. Just how old _was _this woman?

"Has she come spyin'?" a man suggested.

"In that case, she would be a fool," the old woman responded, turning to him as though I were no longer there. Well, then! "Who would invade such a poor village?"

I glared at her as she turned back to face me. Who did this hag think she was, tying me up, flinging dirty water on me, and then treating me like I was invisible?

When she saw me glaring, her face turned absolutely stunned. I almost felt bad, because she seemed a little hurt. Did I look that evil? Her face changed to confused as she closed the remaining distance between us.

"Let me have a good look at your face," she commanded, grabbing my chin and turning my face this way and that to suit her desires. "So, trying to look like a clever one, are you?"

I shot her an icy glare over my should. The nerve! I could kick this old woman's butt in my sleep. She obviously was in denial about her age if she thought she could be so mean to younger and stronger people. That, or she was stronger than she looked.

"You're her image, though," she said, shocked, straightening up again and seeming to talk mostly to herself. "...My elder sister, Tanya."

"What?" I snapped, unintentionally rude. I wanted to go _home_, not sit around listening to other peoples' biographies. Especially one I supposedly looked like.

"Tanya was the village priestess," she explained, "and it's protector... But that was over fifty years ago. She died when I was but a child."

**#$%! #$%! #$%!**

That night, I was set free and bidden to stay with Irina in her hut. She made a delicious soup for dinner, and I was so starved I didn't think twice about the wooden spoon and bowl.

"This looks delicious!" I complimented honestly, accepting the dish. "Thank you!"

"Bear us no ill will, child," she said in that same weird accent. "For though I now see ye mean us no harm, in these troubled times of war, no stranger may be welcomed among us without deep distrust."

"I guess we really aren't in Forks anymore, are we?" I asked, a little breathlessly. Up until now I'd been secretly hoping I was wrong about everything and I'd just somehow gotten lost on Psycho Avenue, which would be only a few blocks from my house. Looking at the confused expression on her face, I sighed. No such luck.

"Forks?" she repeated, thinking. "Never heard of such a place. Is that your homeland?"

"Uh, yeah," I said, trying to be cheerful even though I was totally freaked out. "So I should get going." _Even though I have no idea how to get back..._

Her degree of attention on me was beginning to get annoying, so I looked down and sipped at the stew she'd kindly given me.

I gasped, accidentally dropping my bowl and spilling its contents everywhere. Neither Irina or I noticed much. There was a huge rumbling noise outside, like a giant lion was growling.

Suddenly, it sounded like a bomb went off. There was a huge bang and men and women and children were screaming for their lives within moments. It sounded like several buildings were destroyed.

Irina and I ran outside to see that same beast that brought me here waiting outside. She was even bigger than I remembered. I mean, really. She was like the size of Godzilla, but it giant snake form.

"It's that thing!" I shrieked.

"Give me the Sacred Jewel!" it shouted down at us from its great height. It plunged down like it was planning on diving headlong into us, but we dove out of the way just in time. I skidded across the rough soil, my white blouse instantly spotted brown.

Irina looked at me in complete shock, from her prone position. "Sacred Jewel, did it say? Bear ye it _still_?"

What? "Uh, I have no idea!" I said. "I mean, I've _heard_ of the jewel, but—"

I broke off, watching the men of the village try and shoot the beast down with arrows and spears. Why weren't they just bringing out the pistols or rifles or AK-47s?

Some men ran up to Irina, who also seemed to be Commando here.

"Spears, arrows, nothing works!" one man said despairingly.

Wait—the thing was only after me. The villagers shouldn't have to suffer just because of a freak accident of mine.

"We must lure it to the Dry Well!" Irina said with authority.

"The dry well?" I asked. I decided right then and there that if this monster was after me, I'd lure her there.

"The well in Edward's Forest," she explained briefly.

Oh! The well I climbed out of! I immediately turned towards the direction of the well. I saw some strange glowing light surrounding the forest. Well, at least God or whoever existed was helping me through this.

"Is that it, where the light's shining?" I asked, pointing.

I didn't wait for an answer; I took of running. Just as I'd thought, the woman/beast thing immediately charged after me, shrieking about that jewel.

Ok, now I _knew_ there was a god on my side. I usually couldn't run a single step without tripping over something. But right now I was really moving and I hadn't stumbled once. Or maybe this was just a dream.

Oh, man. What had I gotten myself into? Someone would save me, right? They had to!

"Grandma! Mom!" I screamed out loud, a reflex. Any child would understand. When in danger, shriek like a banshee for your parents. They were the strong ones. "Anybody? Whoever you are, please, somebody _help me!"_

* * *

**Edward's POV**

The darkness was fading, and a strange light was taking its place. The light kept growing, growing, and my body was pulsing again, like my heart was relearning how to beat.

Then I heard her.

"Whoever you are, please, somebody _help me!"_

I didn't recognize the voice, but whoever the girl was she was in trouble, and she'd woken me up. Then I realized where I was. I was still pinned to that damned tree Tanya put me on, her arrow still sticking out of my chest. I swear, if I ever met that woman again...

I tried to touch the arrow to pull it out, but there was a painful barrier around it. It seemed only Tanya herself could touch her arrows, or maybe just this one. Either way, I was trapped.

And then I smelled her. The scent of the woman who killed me.

_Tanya_.

And she was coming closer, fast.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I reached some sort of peak, and ran up the hill, the demon thing hot on my heels. Was no one going to help me? Did that village not care if I died, so long as they were safe?

"Give me the Sacred Jewel!"

"I already told you!" I screamed desperately. "I don't have it!"

I ran right back to the tree where the sleeping boy had been, without even thinking about. My legs just carried me there automatically... and _then_ they collapsed. Thankfully, the timing was perfect: the monster had just lunged forward to actually eat me or something, and when I fell, she just zoomed over me. At least there was one good thing about her being so huge: her momentum could be used against her.

"Hello, Tanya."

What now?

I looked up. It was the sleeping boy. The beautiful, godlike one stuck to the tree. But he was awake now, and glaring at me viciously, like I was the one he hated. But he didn't know me from Eve!

"Playing with bugs now, are we?" he asked sardonically. All I could do was stare at him like an idiot.

"Y-You're alive?" I asked stupidly.

"You look pretty dumb there, Tanya," he informed me condescendingly, as though he were disappointed in me somehow. "The Tanya _I_ know wouldn't waste her time. Just do her like you did me."

Wow. All right, jerk. I stood up angrily, my hands automatically colliding to my hips.

"That does it!" I declared. I threw up my hands, my temper making me cruelly make fun of those who'd been talking of this Tanya woman so worshipfully. "Tanya, _Tanya_!" I dropped my hands, gesturing heatedly. "Whoever she is. She's not me, 'cause my name's—"

The boy suddenly looked over my head. "She's coming."

Huh? Please tell me he didn't mean that demon thing.

Suddenly, the beast sprang from the tree, lunging at me. I gasped and ducked out of the way while she hovered over me. Suddenly four arrows with ropes tied to them shot the monster in the side.

Thank goodness. It was the villagers. They were going to save me.

"'Tis time! Draw!" one man directed.

"You're pathetic, Tanya!" the boy on the tree taunted me.

"I'm not Tanya!" I hollered back. I jumped to my feet again, getting right up in his face, I was so angry. "Look, I'm telling you I'm not her. Whoever 'her' is."

"And I'm sayin' you gotta be!" he protested, also yelling. "'Cause there's no other way that you could smell so—"

He broke himself off, sniffing and leaning forward at me. What the heck? His emerald green eyes widened.

"You're... _not_ her," he said, sounding shocked.

"Finally!" I exclaimed, throwing up my hands in exasperation. "My name is Bella. Bell-uh." I enunciated the syllables like he was demented, which he probably was if it took him this long to catch on. And what was with the sniffing?

"I'm a fool," he admitted in a mutter, looking away. "Tanya looked intelligent. And pretty."

WHAT?

Before I could respond, seven arms grabbed me from behind, pulling me away from the tree. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed the boy's hair to hold me in place.

"AH!" I screamed. "Let go of me!"

"Ow! _Ow!_ OW!" the boy shrieked in pain. "_You_ let go!"

* * *

**Irina's POV**

"Lady Irina!" one of the men called to me, still hauling at the demon. "Edward has revived!"

I turned and stared in horror at the tree, where the girl had clearly brought Edward back to life. She was pulling on his hair as though it were her only lifeline, and Edward looked so angry that he might have killed her if he weren't in pain and stuck where he was. The demon wasn't releasing her grip on Bella, either.

"How can that be?" I asked out loud. "My sister's seal should've lasted forever!"

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Ok, what the _hell_ was going on here? I wake up after who knows how long a nap, and some random chick that smells sickeningly like Tanya and yet different was practically in my lap and pulling on my hair with some demon behind her, pulling on her.

"GIVE ME THE SACRED JEWEL!" the demon shrieked at the girl.

Sacred Jewel? Did this puny human girl have it, then? That would make things so worth while! It would be a piece of cake to steal it from her. And even if I had to kill the girl in the process, it wouldn't be difficult. She was exceptionally weak, even for a human.

The demon suddenly elongated its jaw, producing eight-inch-long fangs and preparing to eat the girl right then. The girl screamed and turned to defend herself. Pointless, really. That wouldn't do anything, not with her tiny little arms.

"_Stop it!"_ she pleaded, holding out her palm as though to block herself. When the demon got close to her, her palm suddenly glowed with some weird light and the demon was repelled as though burned. Three arms were torn straight from the demon.

Huh. Maybe the girl was tougher than she looked. The villagers all gasped, staring at her in awe like she was some sort of idol. I scoffed.

The girl dropped my hair and fell to the ground, staring at her hand in horror. "What the—?" she murmured, mostly to herself. I wondered why I hadn't noticed before: her voice was the complete opposite of Tanya's. "I did that before, too, in the well. But how...?"

Ok, correction: she might be tougher than she _knew_.

Taking all of us by surprise, the girl's left side suddenly started glowing, like there was something inside her.

Wait—I knew that glow. It was...

"_The jewel!" _the demon hissed, lunging forward.

For some reason, I winced when I saw the demon bite right into the girl's side, picking her up and flailing her around like a rag doll. Then, once the Sacred Jewel was out of the girl's side, the demon just dropped her.

The girl seemed fine—not that I cared or nothing—but they both landed right in front of me. So close, yet so damn far. I couldn't move an inch with Tanya's dumb spell.

"Give me the jewel!" I shouted to the girl. She looked up at me, bemused, and then down to the jewel distrustfully. "Hurry!"

Just as she was reaching for it, the centipede demon wrapped itself around her and the tree I was pinned to, and then squeezed tight, crushing us together, her to my chest. The jewel remained on the ground.

Wonderful.

The demon lowered herself down to the jewel, taunting us. Me in particular.

"I heard some half-demon brat was after the jewel," she said, laughing slightly. "It's you, isn't it?"

I glared.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Half demon? What was a half demon?

This stupid centipede had me pinned to the tree along with the boy, crushing me to his chest. I could barely move.

The boy didn't miss a beat. "Half's all I need to kick your sorry butt!" he shot back. "Anything more than that'd be a waste of my time."

I leaned away from him. "Listen," I said. He glanced down at me confusedly. "You _talk_ big, but can you back it up?"

His emerald eyes widened in shock. It was obvious no one had ever talked to him that way before. Apparently everyone else was too afraid to talk back to him. I could see why.

"Huh?" he asked blankly, blinking.

"Well, can you or not?" I demanded.

His gaze switched to a glare as he looked back at the female bug demon. "What _can_ he do?" she taunted, speaking to me. "Tied up the way he is. He's under a powerful spell. Or you, for that matter? What can either of you do to stop me? Just stay where you are and watch!"

She leaned down and stuck out (I swear) a twenty-inch-long tongue and rolled it around that jewel that came out of me. Like some kind of frog. It was disgusting. She sucked it straight into her mouth, while the boy I was stuck against shouted, "Don't you dare!"

Uh, too late, dude.

The arms that I'd accidentally dismembered started glowing and flew up into the air, reattaching themselves. EWWW!

She leaned down on the ground, bracing it with her newly-returned arms. She was shuddering and gasping like she was gonna be sick. Then all of a sudden her skin ripped off and she shrieked! I closed my eyes tight and turned away into the boy's chest, trying not to see. But then the demon's shriek turned into laughter and I couldn't help but look again.

Her fangs and teeth had grown so much longer and sharper. Her skin was now a ghastly gray color, and there was nothing even halfway human about her.

"Rejoice!" she shouted to herself. "My power is restored!"

She suddenly squeezed her tail tighter, pushing me further and further into the tree and the boy. "It's crushing me!" I screamed breathlessly. I couldn't breathe, she was squeezing me so tightly.

The boy didn't sound or look phased. "Hey," he said softly. "Can you... pull out this arrow?"

"Huh?" I asked stupidly.

That only made him angry. "Look! Can you pull out this arrow or not?"

"I... I don't know," I admitted. I reached up to try, but then someone was stopping me.

"Nay, child!" That was Irina's voice. "Once the spell is removed, Edward will be free again! He'll destroy us all!"

"Shut up, you old hag!" the boy shouted at her, really rudely. "At least with me you've got a chance, whereas _that_ thing's gonna eat you!" He glanced down at me, lowering his voice. "And what about you? Do you want to die yet?"

What? _Die_? I didn't understand anything! But... given the choice...

"I don't want to die!" I cried out loud, wrapping my fingers around the ratty old arrow. I didn't even have to pull, the thing just shattered at my touch.

"It's gone!" Irina shouted in shock. "The spell vanished!"

Suddenly the boy started pulsing beneath me, like his true power was starting to come out again. Did I choose the wrong thing...? He started laughing, seeming to be high on his own power for a second.

In literally an instant, he had the centipede demon's tail in shreds, blasted to the ground with me. He landed on the ground just beside me, still smirking confidently, like he thought this was a good wakeup exercise.

"Wretched child!" the beast yelled at him.

He flexed his fingers, getting ready to claw her. "Nasty hag!" he shouted back.

The demon charged at him, full on. I was about to scream, but he beat me to it.

"Demon, begone!" he screamed. This was obviously some magic trick of his or something, because within seconds he'd clawed the demon to bits with his bare hands. It would've been totally gross if it hadn't been so amazingly fast. I barely saw anything—mainly a blur of red, since that was the color of his robe.

"Whoa," I whispered under my breath. "He really _is_ strong."

Something moved next to me and I glanced at it before I thought. The demon's chunks of flesh were _twitching._ I shrieked and jumped aside. What did I take before going to sleep? This had to be a dream!

"It's still moving!" I said out loud. The villagers, including Irina, came running up behind me, most staring at me in awe like I was the one who'd destroyed the demon.

"Find the glowing flesh," Irina ordered me, "that's where the jewel will be. It must be removed quickly, lest the flesh of Mistress Centipede revive!"

"Whoa, tell me you're joking!" I begged. She didn't answer. Oh, God. What a trippy dream. I just had to remind myself it wasn't real.

I glanced around at all the different chunks, not seeing anything that could be described as _glowing_. Oh, wait—there was a teeny spot on one that was glowing. I even felt a pull towards it, like it wanted me to find it.

"There!" I said, pointing. "It's that one!"

Irina calmly walked over to the indicated flesh and pulled out the little pink rock. She glanced at it briefly, before all the chunks of flesh suddenly seemed to melt. Within seconds there was nothing left but bones. What the heck?

She turned towards me and calmly dropped the jewel into my hands.

"What?" I asked dumbly. "But..."

"Only ye may possess the jewel," she announced grimly before muttering to herself, "Ye who so resemble the dead Tanya."

Ok, I was getting really sick of hearing that woman's name.

"But how'd it get inside my body?" I wondered out loud. "Why would I have something like this, something wanted by demons?"

There was a loud crunching noise, and I whirled around to see Edward step on another bone of Mistress Centipede's. He was looking straight at me and flexing his claws again, like he was preparing to strike.

"Exactly," he said. "Humans can't use it, so why bother keeping it? If you give me the jewel right now, I won't have to start sharpening my claws on you."

WHAT?

So you mean he's not the hero?

* * *

**Sorry if that wasn't good. I'd really like some feedback to know if I should continue or not. If I get some good reviews I'll keep going. So...**

**Review, please!**


	3. Seekers of the Sacred Jewel

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

* * *

_Last Time_

"But how'd it get inside my body?" I wondered out loud. "Why would I have something like this, something wanted by demons?"

There was a loud crunching noise, and I whirled around to see Edward step on another bone of Mistress Centipede's. He was looking straight at me and flexing his claws again, like he was preparing to strike.

"Exactly," he said. "Humans can't use it, so why bother keeping it? If you give me the jewel right now, I won't have to start sharpening my claws on you."

WHAT?

So you mean he's not the hero?!

* * *

Seekers of the Sacred Jewel

**Bella's POV**

The villagers immediately swarmed around Edward's back, preparing to fight him. Edward didn't turn around, but I could tell he heard them because he half-turned his head and smirked arrogantly.

Irina thrust an arm in front of me, as though blocking me from running to Edward. Fat chance. That guy scared me more than Mistress Centipede.

"Pay no heed to Edward, child," she told me calmly.

I glanced down at the jewel in my hands. It was supposed to make demons stronger, right? Why? _How_? How in the world could some stupid-looking little pink rock increase someone's strength? Was it cursed?

I heard an impatient sigh and looked up to see Edward bending forward, preparing to leap at me. "I hate having to wait," he growled. "And I hate the smell of you!"

He started running so fast I could barely see him—straight at me! Who was I to run away from someone like that? I couldn't outrun the fattest kid in my gym class!

Needless to say, instinct kicked in and I tried running anyway. I knew it was hopeless, but it was the body's first reaction. "Fight or flight" and all that. Well, fighting was _definitely_ out for me against this beast. So that only left flight.

I got to a point about ten feet away when I heard his feet stop hitting the ground. He couldn't have given up so easily, right? Then why had he stopped running?

My moment's distraction caused me to lose focus on my legs and running, and I tripped over some bones of Mistress Centipede. For once, though, I was grateful for my clumsiness. It seemed that the reason Edward's feet had stopped hitting the ground in his running was because he'd leapt into the air and was coming down to slice my head clean through. When I tripped, I fell so that his hands swiped right over me. Relief would be an understatement.

I landed face-first in the dirt and grass, and Edward skidded to a halt some ten feet away. He didn't land on his face though. How come everyone seemed more graceful than me?

He was smiling all tauntingly like he knew what I was thinking. Of course he didn't, he was just being mean. "Want me to scratch your back?" he asked sarcastically, flexing his fingers again.

I couldn't believe it. First he was saving me, and now he was trying to gut me. Did he have a multiple personality disorder or something?

"You _really_ tried to hit me just now, didn't you?" I demanded, shocked.

The villagers and Edward both didn't wait for a response. The men all shot arrows at Edward simultaneously, but they broke against his skin! He just turned around calmly, if not conceitedly, and smirked at them. Then he took off running, preparing to attack them instead of me.

Huh. Edward didn't seem like the direct kind of guy, then. Instead of going straight for the whole group of men, he sliced the trees near them so that they collapsed on the villagers. Then Edward landed gracefully on one of the stumps, still half-smiling all cocky.

"Hah!" he snorted. "Who do you people think I _am_, anyway? You think you can kill me as easily as I did that centipede?"

"Lady Irina! Methinks we'd have preferred to chance the cetipede!"

I distinctly heard Irina sigh. Her behavior shocked me more than anything else. She was treating Edward's violence and threats like the meaninglessness of a child.

"'Tis ever thus," she said grimly, reaching into her clothes and drawing out some sort of necklace. "I am ringed by fools."

I had to admit, that necklace was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen. It had purple beads, and some sort of tooth ever five bead along. Gross.

I didn't have long to analyze the thing though, because Edward immediately launched himself at me again. I gasped and screamed in one breath, and took off running.

I stumbled and tripped several times, but I managed to keep eluding him somehow through fate or luck I didn't know.

"Prepare yourself!" he shouted from behind me, and I could still hear his close pursuit.

I turned just in time to see him falling through the air—he was practically on top of me! I gasped and jumped to the side, flailing my arms as if I could fly. I would've laughed at the ridiculousness had I not been so completely terrified. This guy was really trying to kill me. What had I done to him?!

The jewel flew out of my hands and landed just in front of me, and I heard Edward laugh confidently. "Now it's mine," I heard him say, but then I heard another strange noise: like pebbles rushing through the air faster than bullets.

Then I heard a body hit the ground.

Was Edward dead? Did someone kill him?

But then I heard his confused voice saying, "What the hell _are_ these things?!"

He'd landed right in front of me, all fine and on his feet, but he was now wearing the ugly necklace that Irina had removed from her clothes.

"Quickly, child!" she hollered to me now. "The word of subjugation!"

"What word?" I shouted back, scrambling forward on my hands and knees to get the jewel while Edward struggled to get the necklace off himself.

"It matters not!" she cried. "Your word has power to bind his spirit!"

I picked up the pink rock and ran as fast as I could away from him. And then the cliff I was running along gave way, with me on it, and fell a good ten feet. Just my luck. The jewel flew out of my hands again, running along the cliff's edge. There was a bridge just in front of me connecting the two mountains, and the jewel oh-so-conveniently rolled along it.

Edward jumped from the cliff behind me, landing just in front of the jewel.

"Hah!" he laughed. "How can you overpower me when you can't sit up?"

He kneeled down, arrogantly waiting for the jewel to roll right into his hands. What word could I use?? Um... Uh... Well, with his pale skin and green eyes he kinda looked like my old dog.

"Sit!" I screamed, hoping to God it worked.

It must have, because he suddenly went face first into the ground, digging himself into the bridge with a yelp of pain. Ouch.

"What the hell is this?!" he screamed, yanking on the necklace. It wouldn't rise above his chin level, which was surprising considering how strong he was.

"I'm sorry, Edward, but even you lack the power to remove it," Irina said, calmly appearing at the cliff's edge with most of the village men.

"We'll see about that!" he shouted back at her. He dropped the necklace, seeming to realize he was only embarrassing himself. "I'd come up there and finish you off right now, you old prune, if you didn't look half dead already!"

Irina sighed at his rudeness, closing her eyes. "The word, please," she said to me.

"Sit, Edward," I said, taking immense pleasure in the sight of him nose-diving into the wood bridge.

But I wasn't taking any chances. The jewel hadn't reached him yet and had stopped just in front of him. If I had to be that close, it would be while he was under my mercy.

"Sit!" I yelled again, watching as he finally broke through the bridge and fell into the rushing rapids beneath us. He left a gaping hole in the bridge, one that would have to be fixed, but at least he wasn't a danger.

"Well, then," Irina said as calmly as if this were an everyday occurrence, "shall we head home?"

"Whew," I breathed, picking up the jewel with relief. "Glad that's over. Sure wish I'd said it earlier, though."

**#$%!! #$%!! #$%!!**

The poor villagers had been outside since the crack of dawn—literally—trying to repair their destroyed houses. I felt so horrible, especially considering it was my fault that the houses and buildings were wrecked. Irina invited me back into her house for some medication to my stomach where that demon had flung me around with its teeth.

"Let's see..." she murmured, looking at my stomach with a practiced eye, "perhaps I'll apply more salve to your belly."

I sat up straighter, wincing in pain, when she released me. "I noticed you're rebuilding the houses that were destroyed by Mistress Centipede," I said apologetically. "What a pain!"

"Pain, yes," she agreed, "and just beginning. Now that the Sacred Jewel has reappeared, far worse than Mistress Centipede will seek it."

I pulled the jewel, now hanging on a necklace around my throat, out from under my shirt for me to see. "Worse than yesterday?" I asked, and humiliatingly my fright showed in my voice.

"And not just demons," she went on grimly. "Humans also seek the jewel to realize their petty, grasping ambitions. In some cases, their hearts are the most evil."

"Speaking of petty," I grumbled, sending an icy glare over my shoulder. "What are _you_ still doing here?"

Edward, flopped lazily on his side with his back to me, was resting in the other side of the hut. He sent me a lazy glance over his shoulder before turning back to his wall. "What's it look like I'm doing?" he asked the wall rhetorically. "I'm waiting for the jewel."

Irina laughed once at his helplessness. "With the beads of subjugation around his neck, his threat is diminished. Even if he should get nearer to the jewel, we need not worry."

"Why _do_ you want the jewel, anyway?" I asked him seriously. "Looks to me like you're strong enough already. What power can the jewel give you that you don't already have?"

"Ah, but Edward is only a _half_ demon," Irina said knowingly, and somewhat tauntingly.

Before I'd even seen what happened, Edward was in a crouching position, his fist punched through her hut floor in his fury, and he was glaring at her with a passion that scared me senseless—and he wasn't even looking at me!

"All right," he fumed, "I'm sick of hearing some dried up old witch _I just met_ talk like she knows me!"

Irina, to my respect, didn't even blink. She just rose and walked over to the fire, which was running a little low. "Oh, so ye don't remember, Edward," she said easily, throwing some logs into the flames. "I thought as much. I am younger sister to Tanya, she who bound ye to the sacred tree... Irina."

Before he could control his expression, Edward's face turned confused, then shocked, and then blank when he regained himself. "Oh, so you're the brat," he said pensively.

"Fifty years have passed since then, and I have grown old," she informed him sagely. Wait—so Edward was more than fifty years old? How in the—?! He didn't look more than seventeen!

He laughed a little, still surprised. "Man, if you're _this_ old, Tanya must be pushing a hundred. What a bore you mortals are!"

I noticed Irina twitched angrily, but regained control of herself. "My sister is dead," she said coldly.

I glanced quickly back over at Edward to gauge his reaction, but the only thing that showed he even heard the old woman was his eyes opening slowly with a faraway look in them. Almost sad, but not quite there.

Irina either didn't notice, or didn't care enough to stop. "It was on the same day that she shot ye with her spellbound arrow."

Edward's eyes returned, signifying he was fully in the room again. But then his entire face took on a rather evil look, like he didn't care what he said anymore. "So the little witch kicked it, huh?" he said rudely. "Sorry it to hear it. Not that I care or nothing." He sighed, relieved, and fell back to his lazy position. "'S one less thing for me to worry about," he yawned.

"I wouldn't let my guard down so easily, Edward," Irina said slowly, turning back to us. She smiled at me conspiratorially, as though I were in on her amusement, rather than completely clueless like I really was. "There's still the matter of reincarnation, don't you agree, Bella?"

I froze, in the middle of putting the jewel back under my shirt. "What?" I demanded.

She nodded to me calmly. "Your outward likeness... your mystic abilities... And the Jewel of Four Souls hidden within your body... What other answer is there? You were born to protect that jewel."

**#$%!! #$%!! #$%!!**

Talk about overkill. This was some trippy dream I was having. I mean, first I show up by getting dragged back by some demon, and now I'm supposed to be the sole protector of some funny colored rock? Edward seemed to find the idea as laughable as I had, though not for the same reasons.

That afternoon, I left the hut, walking slowly down unfamiliar paths. Just thinking. It had to be a dream, right? There was no other explanation.

As I passed a group of villagers in their fields, I heard snags of their conversation.

"They call her Lady Tanya rebord!" one woman said, shocked.

"She does have a regal bearin', now that I look..." said a man.

"You gotta admit there's somethin' saintly about her," another agreed vaguely.

"Show some respect to the young lady!"

I turned just in time to see them all bowing in reverence to me, saying, "Lady Tanya's returned to us!"

I blushed angrily. _I'm not TANYA!_ I wanted to shout at them, but they were just so relieved at having someone to protect them, I let them believe it. Still, that that protector should be _me_ was a completely different matter.

"I gotta get outta here," I said out loud to myself, running away from them like the cowardly lion I was.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

As soon as I was able, I ran outside the old witch's hut and into some tree by the lake. I needed some time to myself, just to think. I couldn't wrap my head around it. All that kept running through my mind was: _She died. She died, and I never knew._

But even if I _had_ known, what could I have done about it? It seemed she died hating me. And let's not even get into how _that_ part still confused me.

I scoffed. And this new little development. What was with this strange girl in her weird clothes? And the crone's theories? She honestly expected me to believe that that... _twit_ was Tanya?!

Suddenly, I heard something from several feet away whizzing through the air and aimed right at my back. An attacker?

I caught it without looking, preparing to fire it right back at the assailer. When I cast it a brief glance, I had to do a double take. What the—? A _mango_? Who tried to kill a person with a _mango_?

I turned around to see who had thrown it. Oh, great. It was that girl again. That girl that looked just like Tanya. She was practically crawling under the weight of a good five bags full of different foods wrapped around her shoulders.

"Hey, there," she greeted cheerfully. "I'll share, if you come down."

"Where'd you get all that stuff?" I asked. Why did I care?

She shrugged, blushing a little. "The villagers seem to regard Tanya as some sort of saint. Seeing as I look like her, they think I must be some sort of idol too. They gave me these in offering. Why not come down from there and help me eat it?"

She sat down at the bottom of my tree, and I could see that I wasn't winning this battle. With a sigh of resignation, I plopped down on the ground beside her. She gestured vaguely at all the food, telling me silently that I could take my pick. I wasn't crazy about human food, but I decided I'd better play her game and flatter her. I took the first thing my hands found. Only when I took a bite did I realize it was the worst turnip I'd ever eaten.

She happily munched away on some sort of apple while I watched her warily. It was like my nature. I couldn't help but distrust her. There was something not quite right about her. And then there was the fact that she looked just like Tanya. I hated her.

"What are you scheming, witch?"

She didn't even look at me. "Nothing," she said easily, leaning back against the tree like she didn't know I was strong enough to kill her in seconds. Like she trusted me. But no one ever trusted me, because I never trusted them. I mean, look what happened with Tanya.

The girl looked down and sighed, dropping her unfinished apple. "Look," she said, finally looking at me. "It's fair to say you don't like me, right?"

I scoffed. "Waaay more than fair."

"Whatever!" she interrupted rudely, finally losing her temper. I knew this girl couldn't be as saintly as she seemed. There had to be some bad qualities to her. It seemed her temper was the quickest to reveal itself. "It's not even _me_ you hate. It's this Tanya lady."

Damn stupid girl and her stupid insightfulness. I glared down at my one-bite-eaten turnip, dropped it and jumped back into my tree. She didn't flinch away from my sudden movements; merely waited until I'd stopped moving again and then looked at me.

"I'm not Tanya, ok?" she called up to me. "I'm _Bella_. Can't you just be a little nicer to me? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Hah!" I said triumphantly. "I knew it! What you don't get is that I don't care who you are! In order to get the jewel, I have to be merciless! You're just trying to lure me into a false sense of security!"

"Oh, really?" she said slowly. Why did her tone suddenly make me scared? She laughed once, looking back at her food. "That's funny, considering all I have to do to make you obey is say the word 'sit'—"

I didn't get to hear the rest. The damn necklace pulled me down throat first (or face-first, whichever) straight off the tree branch and into the dirt beside her. She actually looked surprised to find me there.

"Oops!" she laughed. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, man," I groaned. When had my life gone so horribly wrong?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Irina invited me to stay in her hut again, letting me use one of her pillows and an old blanket on the hard wood. I didn't mind. I probably wasn't going to get that much sleep anyways.

It'd been two days since I arrived there. How many more before I could go home? What were they all doing without me, Mom, Eric, and Grandma? Was I still there with them, some second form of myself watching TV and going about my normal business? Was this all a dream?

But if it _wasn't_ a dream, if I really was missing to them, they must've been so worried. I had to get back to them.

That thought allowed me to calm down enough for sleep, and my eyes soon became too heavy to stay up.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I was watching only to protect the jewel. I had to keep reminding myself that. _Only for the jewel_.

But the fact was, I still felt like some kind of pervert. I was watching the girl as she fell asleep in Irina's hut—Irina conveniently "forgetting" to invite me in, as well—and she seemed deep in thought. Where had she come from? Where was her family? Did she miss them?

_Why did I care?_

Well. I didn't. That's the point. Reminder: I don't care about her.

I glanced over to the trees around the old priestess' hut, hearing a swishing noise like a bird flying. Sure enough, there high up in the trees was an enormous flock of demon crows, watching the girl like me only with evil glints in their eyes. There was one in particular that worried me. It had three red eyes, instead of the normal two yellow ones.

Without thinking, I jumped up to the trees, clawing at them. I knew they'd only fly away, so it wasn't like I was really trying to get them. Only scare them away.

Perfect. They'd all come just because they'd sensed the jewel. How many more demons would I have to kill or chase away before the jewel was mine?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Irina and I were both surprised at the nonviolent night we'd had last night. Irina had seemed so sure that more demons would at least come to find the location of the jewel, but we'd encountered none since Mistress Centipede.

At literally the crack of dawn, when everyone else was rising to do their chores, I walked aimlessly around the village. Actually, I walked more towards the forest I'd been saved from Mistress Centipede in.

Edward's Forest. The Dry Well. It was where I came out of, so there must be some way back home through them. Right?

It _was_ right. Then I should hurry there, the sooner to see my family again.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

So the stupid girl had run away. After all my protecting the jewel—and coincidentally her—last night, she had just up and left. Did she have a death wish?

Irina was rapidly walking through the village, calling out the girl's name like she was worried. "Bella!" She even had the villagers searching for her.

I jumped up and landed on the roof of one of the huts, listening to their conversation. Maybe the village men had found out where she was.

They panted up to Irina and one said breathlessly, "There's nary a sign of Lady Bella anywhere in the village."

I would've laughed if I hadn't been so worried. The girl had spent her entire time here trying to get everyone to call her just "Bella," but she couldn't break the villagers. To them, she was a priestess. Therefore, she was a Lady.

"Could it be she's gone off on her own...?" Irina asked in a nervous voice, bringing me back to their conversation. "We spoke of those who seek the jewel, yet we spoke not nearly enough..."

So she took the jewel with her, huh? Well, that changed some things.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I wasn't quite sure where I was anymore. I'd been running so fast last night that I couldn't remember which way I went. Now I could only wander through the woods, hoping I was going in the right direction.

The path I was walking along ended a few feet away from me, and I stopped just at the tree's end. About twenty feet away was the well.

"There!" I said triumphantly to myself. At least I'd been able to do one thing right since coming here.

All of a sudden, a group of men came flying out of the trees at me, yelling in battle cries. I screamed, too, but soon they had their hands clamped over my mouth and were dragging me off.

They took me to some remote house in the woods, where even more men waited. They held my hands behind my back and threw me onto the floor, landing on me.

One of them turned away from me, calling, "We brought the foreign vixen just as you commanded, boss!"

Another of the fatter, stupider looking men laughed, leaning towards me. Was he the 'boss'? But then he tugged on my skirt, and I realized what I was still wearing. The clothes seemed so out of place here. It was my school uniform: a white long-sleeved fairly loose-fitting shirt and a black thigh-length pencil skirt.

"And a right foolish garb her folk wrapped her in," the fat one chuckled, still yanking on my skirt. "What's this flimsy wrap-around thing on her waist?"

I blushed, jumping to my feet and yanking my skirt back down. "Stop that, you pervert!"

"Well, you asked for it," another one said. "Exposing yourself like that."

"What's the matter, princess?" some skinny one taunted. "Our hands too dirty for you?"

Another one laughed. "Marry me and I'll buy you new clothes."

They all advanced on me, while I backed away like the scared idiot I was.

"Hand over the jewel," a really deep voice said from the corner. All the men and I turned to look.

Ok, no questions needed—_he_ was definitely the boss. He was about eight-feet tall with armor like a warrior on. Bald and ugly.

He reached out and snatched me up by my shirt, and when he dropped me roughly, the necklace holding the jewel was in his hands.

_And not just demons. Humans also seek the jewel to realize their petty, grasping ambitions. In some cases, their hearts are the most evil._

"No!" I shouted, realizing the full implications of what I'd already done and what I was allowing to happen. I scrambled onto my hands and knees, reaching up to snatch the jewel out of his fat hand. "Give it --"

I was cut off -- almost literally -- by a sword coming down right beside my face, luckily missing my outstretched arm. I sat there, frozen, for a second, letting it all wash over me that this really wasn't a dream, and that really was a sword that really almost took off my freaking head.

Using the sword as a walking stick, the fat bald boss heaved his way to his feet, and grunted, "Hold 'er."

Two men, the most talkative and the fat man, immediately grabbed either of my arms. Neither of them looked too happy about it, though. They looked resentful and curious.

"Wha --?" the fat one began, while the other started, "What are you --?"

Cutting them both off, the man just raised the sword clumsily over his head, swaying a little on his feet, attempting to aim at me. I bit my lip to fight back a scream.

"Gonna kill her?"

"What a waste!"

With an excited chuckle, the ogre of a man thrust down his sword—cutting right through the talkative man holding my left arm. All the men in the room and I gasped in unison.

"Whoopsie," the man laughed, still coming after me slowly and stumblingly.

The men were now as terrified of him as I was. They realized now that he didn't care who killed.

He took three really badly aimed swipes at me, but could've killed any of the men with any of the strokes. If the men hadn't been quick on their feet and fast to duck, they'd have been slain too.

"Boss!" one shouted, sounding petrified. "Where you aimin'? _She's_ the one you want!"

They started pushing me toward the big guy as though they were of one mind, and I fought against them, shouting to be heard over them.

"Wait, wait!" I said impatiently. "Can't you see something's wrong with your boss?" I turned around and slapped their hands away. "Now get your butts in gear or next it'll be you all! Do I have to tell you _everything_?"

The man came up behind me, swinging largely. The men all scattered around, running to the man's back. I was left no choice but to run under the freaking eight-foot troll's legs.

Would someone please tell me why I, who hadn't done anything, had to go through this?!

The huge man was swinging his sword so randomly and violently that he was destroying the whole house! The door was completely blocked by rubble that he'd created, leaving us no exit. Maybe he'd done that on purpose, but I couldn't see this idiot ever coming up with a strategy. He flung himself at us so completely that he toppled over into the wall, cracking it greatly.

"The jewel..." he mumbled almost incoherently, still chasing me slowly around the room. "Give it to me...."

The 'boss' came up behind me, and I had nowhere to run, nothing to block myself with. He raised his sword high, laughing triumphantly, and I raised my arms over my face to give myself whatever protection I could.

Right at the moment the sword was about to kill me, a streak of red burst through the room and jumped in front of me, taking the blade into their arm. When the thing finally stopped moving, I realized it was Edward. His skin alone had shattered the sword, and it was raining shiny pieces of metal around us.

He didn't stop there, either. Edward immediately jumped into the air (seeing as he was so short compared to the troll guy) and started punching his face hard. The man groaned and fell back on his butt, unmoving.

"Who would dare --?!" one of the henchmen began hotly. No one listened to him.

"You... You came to save me?" I asked, confused and beyond shocked.

Edward, however, looked indignant and distinctly flustered. "The jewel!" he barked.

The boss man apparently was still alive, because he rose to his feet, laughing as he came closer to us. Edward stepped in front of me, shielding me unconsciously, but then I noticed he shuddered and covered his nose.

"Oh, my God!" he complained loudly. "What is that _smell_? It's like rotting meat or—"

He broke off when the man's armor broke, revealing a gaping hole in his chest, right where his heart should've been. Three red eyes glared out at us from the hole. I flinched away instinctively, crying out. The henchmen behind me all yelled in horror and shock. The thing shrieked back from inside the man's chest, sticking out his head. Oh, gross! It was a three-eyed crow of some sort.

Edward lowered his arm, smirking. "How much you wanna bet that bird ripped his living heart out and made himself a bloody nest?"

"I knew there was something wrong with him," I murmured, mostly to myself. "So the body was being manipulated by this crow?"

"The boss... He's dead...?"

"I _thought_ he was actin' a mite strange..."

"That's so... _sick_," I groaned, cupping my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from showing everyone just how disgusting I thought this whole situation was.

Edward shrugged. "Corpse Crows don't fight on their own when there's dead bodies to be had. They aren't that tough, but they're hella nasty!"

He immediately leaped forward, sticking his fist straight into the hole in the chest. The crow tore itself an escape exit through the body's back, and Edward dodged just in time to escape the eight-foot man's corpse collapsing on him.

Edward landed gracefully on the ground right in front of me, while the ugly monster-bird floated in place for a few moments, the pink rock that was the jewel tight in its beak, before flying out of the window.

He bent down and scooped up the sword the corpse had dropped, flinging it after the bird like a javelin. "I won't let you! _Stop_, you coward!"

He looked away, around the room, desperate for some kind of assistance or idea it seemed. When his eyes fell on one of the henchmen's bow and quiver of arrows, he scooped them up.

He immediately grabbed my wrist, thrusting the both of us through the wall. "Come on!" he shouted roughly.

He handed the bow and arrows to me, and then threw me on his back before I knew what happened. Before I registered the fact, he was running faster than life through the forest after the bird, with me situated on his back.

"No way that thing's getting away from me," he said, seemingly more to himself than to me. The bird was now in our view again, only about fifteen feet ahead. His head half-turned back to me. "What are you waiting for?" he demanded. "Shoot it down!"

"Me?" I squeaked. "You're joking, right? I've never used a bow in my life!"

He sighed impatiently. "The Corpse Crow lives by eating human flesh. If you think that's bad, let it swallow the jewel!"

I glanced up to see, low and behold, the crow swallowing the jewel.

"It swallowed it!" I said to Edward. I groaned. "Fine! I'll try!"

"Thank you," he said irritably. "Tanya was a master archer. Take it down in one shot!"

I practically screamed in frustration, "_I am Bella!"_

_But still,_ I thought. _Tanya, lend me your strength._

I put the arrow into place, pulled it as far back as I could, and released.

It looked like it would've hit, but it fell short several feet away.

"What the—?" I asked blankly. Then I glared down at him. "I thought you said Tanya was a master archer!"

"She was!" he said hotly. "It's _you_ that's the klutz!"

However, I wasn't half so calm when I saw the crow swoop in and kidnap a child -- a boy of about four -- right from his mother's hand.

She ran after him, screaming, "My baby!"

I glanced down and saw Edward's fierce determination to destroy the crow, but no concern for the boy. He stretched back his hand, preparing to strike down the monster.

"_NO_, idiot!" I screamed. "Save the boy first!"

I could see that he wasn't going to stop for the boy, that it was already too late, so I pushed away from his back and fell down, catching the boy on my way.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion after that.

Edward's face turned furious as he yelled, "You idiot! What do you think you're --?!"

The demon turned around and opened its huge jaw of sharp teeth at the boy and I, and Edward cursed as he cut it down with his claws.

I hit the ground, the boy falling right on my chest, knocking the wind out of me. While I lay there, gasping for breath, the boy began sobbing and screaming at the same time. Glancing down at him, I realized that part of the crow demon -- its clawed foot -- was still holding onto the kid. I plucked the foot off the boy's arm, and he collapsed on my chest, sobbing into my shirt while I tried to soothe him. "It's ok, honey, you're safe now..."

His mother came running over to me, profusely thanking me as she took her son into her own arms.

The demon's body parts began to regroup, and I winced watching it reconnect itself like an oldschool lego doll.

"GIRL!" Edward yelled at me as he chased the demon down away. "Do you see the jewel?!"

The villagers all reacted with variations of shock and disgust as they saw the demon recollect itself and start flying again.

"God in Heaven!"

"It... It lives?!"

I tried to ignore them, letting my eyes follow the intangible pull I felt towards the crow -- and, thereby, the jewel. When the crow lifted its wings to flap harder and fly higher, I saw the familiar glow of pink from its armpit.

"There!" I shouted, pointing. "Under its right wing!"

Edward pushed off a nearby boulder, trying to gain momentum, but when he struck out at the demon he only hit the tail, which connected back together in mere seconds.

Edward landed on the ground beside me, cursing. "It'll go on flying -- until its hell-born corpse absorbs the whole damn jewel."

I gasped, looking down at my hand. I'd forgotten about the crow's foot that I was holding. It, too, was straining against my fingers, struggling to rejoin the rest of its body.

If I could attach that to an arrow...

* * *

**Edward's POV**

That stupid girl let the crow get away with the jewel! And now she actually thought she could hit that crow with a bow and arrow when it was more than a hundred feet away. My butt she'd hit it.

She released the arrow, and then I noticed something tied to it.

_I get it! She's shooting the foot!_

The foot couldn't help but be drawn to the power of the jewel, so it was almost certain she'd hit the crow. Well, one more thing to the list: she was pretty smart, too.

"Yeah!" she shouted triumphantly.

And she was right. The crow was brought down immediately, but there was something strange about the contact her arrow made with the crow. As soon as the demon was destroyed, a bright pinkish-purple light shot from its body like a new dawn. It was too bright even for me to look at. Then it was like little comets shot out everywhere, the same strange lilac color, scattering all over the earth as far as I knew.

The girl promptly took off to some forest edge, and I followed her, thinking she'd seen where the jewel had fallen.

We both searched in silence for a while, before I gave up, exasperated. "Are you sure it fell somewhere around here?"

"Yeah... I feel it," she said. "It's like it's pulling me this way.... But..."

She didn't finish and I didn't want to hear it. Any kind of "but" after that sentence was only terrible.

"I'm still kinda worried about that light," she admitted in a murmur.

Then she gasped and I whirled around. The demon crow's head was suddenly careening out of nowhere, about to chomp her head clean off. Without even thinking, I jumped in between the demon's head and the girl, and sliced the head in half. "I don't think so!"

But then, why had I done that? No. It was just a reflex to protect the jewel, that's all. Er, no, to protect her only because she was a jewel detector. Without her, I'd never be able to find the jewel. Yeah, that was it.

Something fell from the remains of the jewel, and the girl walked towards it like she was in some sort of trance. "I hope that's not what I think it is," she said in a nervous voice.

"And what do you think it is?" I asked, not really caring unless it was the jewel.

She knelt down before the tiny little thing and picked it up. It was smaller than the first knuckle of her pinky, whatever it was, so tiny that she had to bring it close to her face to see it clearly.

When she spoke again, it was in a low, tentative and pensive voice. "I think it's a shard of the Sacred Jewel."

Then... If that was just a _shard... _

"_Wh-What did you say?!"_

* * *

**So now clumsy little Bella's broken it. But it wasn't really her fault. Anyways, please review! I want to know if this story's worth continuing.**


	4. Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer, and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

* * *

_Last Time_

She knelt down before the tiny little thing and picked it up. It was smaller than the first knuckle of her pinky, whatever it was, so tiny that she had to bring it close to her face to see it clearly.

When she spoke again, it was in a low, tentative and pensive voice. "I think it's a shard of the Sacred Jewel."

Then... If that was just a _shard... _

"_Wh-What did you say?!"_

* * *

Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

**Bella's POV**

_"Is it so? That Lady Bella's undergoin' the sacred water rite?"_

_"For purification, it must be! For new magic powers!"_

_"They say if a man spies on such a rite, he'll be punished by God!"_

"I don't believe this!" I screamed, shivering as I waded out, naked, into the lake at the base of the waterfall. It would've been a beautiful sight if it hadn't been so freezing. And now _this_ on top of everything! "How can you not _know_ what a bath is?" I demanded.

No one answered me.

I went out in the water about waist-deep, instinctively covering myself, and stood, trembling with the cold, unable to bring myself to go under just yet.

Then I forced myself to go down about shoulder-deep with the tops of my arms and my neck and head still above the surface. It was like ice!

"Bella," Irina, sitting warm on the bank with a fire in front of her, called out to me. "You will get sick if ye don't get out."

"I can't!" I called back despairingly. I was so disgusted it wasn't even funny. "I'm covered with blood and dirt. And I feel like I haven't washed my hair in a week."

Irina sighed resignedly as I finally dunked under the water. As soon as I was under, as is always the case, the water seemed warmer to me. I got used to it. And it never occurred to me that Edward might be watching. As I swam under the water, I reminisced about what had happened between him and me.

**FLASHBACK**

Back in Irina's hut the night I broke the jewel, I held up the broken fragment for Irina to see. Even though I'd seen it myself many times, I stared at it in the same confusion and shock I had the first time.

Edward groaned for the millionth time, hating the size of it. "What did you _do_ to it?"

"Stop yelling, Edward," Irina scolded.

He only leaned forward furiously. "Leave it to her to wind up breaking it!" he hollered as though we were hundreds of feet away, instead of one or two.

Irina shook her head once. "Technically, it wasn't Bella that broke the jewel, but the crow's foot she attached to her arrow. As ye saw, the jewel has now been scattered into many small fragments. One hundred... one thousand... who knows? Yet however many shards there may be, it will take only one in the wrong hands to increase their power drastically."

I listened with my eyes wide, realizing what she was dancing around actually saying. I'd practically just _given_ about a thousand demons infinite power. That's me. My only _lucky _day was a Friday the Thirteenth. Any other was bad luck.

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, blushing shame-facedly. "I had no idea. It's all my fault..."

Irina didn't even acknowledge my apology or responsibility acceptance. "Bella, Edward," she said seriously, taking a few moments to look each of us in the eye, "you must use your combined strength to gather the shards."

"What?" I demanded, and inexplicably the word _traitor_ ran across my mind.

Edward laughed once. "You won't catch me complaining," he said. "I'm one of those 'wrong hands' you were talking about."

"Oh, aye," she sighed, looking towards her fire. "That I know too well..."

**END FLASHBACK**

_But,_ I wanted to scream now, still swimming under the water, _I have to get home! How am I supposed to help? I don't have any special powers! I'm just an ordinary girl! And besides, Edward is so selfish. How would he help me?_

I sighed and got out of the water, guessing I was clean enough for now. As I stood up and walked over to the shore, I forgot that others besides Irina might see me. She was a girl once, too, and a woman, so I wasn't all that uncomfortable being naked and dripping wet.

Until I looked up and saw Edward staring at me from a hill not twenty feet away.

He blinked a few times in shock, and I was frozen stiff in surprise for a few moments.

Then I realized I was just standing there, letting him see me, and I shrieked, covering my chest and crouching down into the water again. "Sit!" I screamed, furious. Edward crashed satisfyingly off the hill and onto ground level with me.

"So," Irina said calmly, not even turning to look at him. "See anything good?"

"How could I forget..." Edward grumbled to himself, lazily, albeit furiously, plucking at his necklace, "the wench's necklace and its word-spells?"

I jumped behind the bushes nearby as soon as he was distracted, and started pulling on the old clothes that Irina had loaned to me while I washed mine. She'd said they were Tanya's old things, but that I shouldn't mind that. She said it was good to see them worn again, especially by someone who looked so similar to Tanya anyway. I'd sighed over that one (besides, the clothes were really ugly too, just a white really loose shirt and some red tight-pants things that everyone wore back in the 1500s). It was actually similar to Edward's outfit. His shirt was very loose and red, as were his pants. I tied my hair back with the ribbon Irina had always loaned me, in the fashion she said I should. She thought it would help me to blend in more if I dressed like them, not that I wanted to.

"I knew you were an animal, but even then I expected something more than _this_!" I shouted at him from my sanctuary, blushing ten different shades of red.

Edward gawked at me for a second, blushing a little, and then scoffed. "You're as stupid as you are vain. I was just --"

Irina finished the sentence for him, " -- looking to steal this jewel shard." She held the shard out to me, and I dropped it into a pouch, tying it to my waist.

"Think you're pretty smart, don't you, you old hag?" Edward snapped, turning his back on the both of us and sitting Indian-style. Why did he always have to be so rude and callous?

But it was true, Irina did look pretty smug at knowing his true intentions. But then she sighed, letting all the smugness fade away. "I see," she said grimly. "Ye think do it alone, do ye, Edward? Ye forget only yon girl can see those shards. Without her, Edward, ye would never find them all. While only ye have strength enough to procure them once found."

Edward growled a little, his back still to us but his posture making it clear how frustrated he was. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm still here, aren't I?" he said. "When it comes to the jewel, I'm willing to do about anything."

His tone made it impossible for me to ignore. It was like he was being put through the worst trial of his life. I stepped out from behind the cover of my bushes and glared at him, but inside my feelings really were hurt.

"You really do hate me, don't you?" I demanded.

Edward's jaw practically hit the ground and his eyes widened at the sight of me. I knew it wasn't because I looked particularly good or anything. This outfit hid about all my assets except my tiny waist. So he must be gawking because of something else.

Whatever the reason, it was obvious he wasn't going to answer my question. He only growled low under his breath like some kind of animal and started glaring as he scooted away from me.

I tried not to let it bother me as I wrung out my clothes, hanging them on a long stick over the fire to dry. Irina, however, was not as passive with his glaring.

"What ails ye now, Edward?" she asked resignedly, like she was dealing with a toddler particularly given to tantrums.

* * *

**Unknown's POV**

I yawned and sat up, stretching after so long a sleep. In my cave made up of basically only skulls and hair, it was quite cozy and inviting. At least, to me.

I picked up the one that meant the most to me, the red one, stroking its hair from its face.

"Oh my, oh me," I said delightedly to my skull, feeling the familiar pull. "Finally after fifty long years, the Jewel of Four Souls finally resurfaces. I'd almost given up hope!" I laughed, imagining the actual siege of the jewel more than the jewel itself. Whoever said violence wasn't good?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"Lady Irina..." a woman said, suddenly appearing from the road behind us. Irina, Edward and I turned at the sound of her voice. She had a baby strapped to her back and looked really tired. "It's my daughter..."

"Show me," Irina said, not even waiting to hear the tale of woe and all that. She painfully got to her feet (she really was pretty old) and started to walk away with the woman, before turning back to us as though on a second thought. "I shall return later. Try not to fight too much."

Then she walked away, and the woman gave me a quick bow of reverence before walking after Irina too. Which left me and Edward to sit in awkward and (on his side) angry silence.

I stood, staring off into space for a moment, just daydreaming.

Edward's velvet, musical voice brought me out of my thinking with words that sent fury to my very bones.

"Hey," he said slowly.

I sighed. "Now what do you want?"

He didn't meet my eyes, just stared out over the water. "Take off your clothes."

I didn't even blink. I grabbed the nearest boulder off the ground and slammed it down on his head. Since he was a demon, it shouldn't do any _real_ damage to him. The nerve of that guy!

"OW!" he bellowed, clutching his head and whimpering, "That _hurt_! Why did you—?"

"You're such a pig," I grumbled, putting down my newly found weapon and walking away. He blushed slightly, his face indignant as he pointed vigorously to my drying clothes.

"I didn't say, 'Get naked,' stupid! I just can't stand seeing you in those clothes!" he shouted.

"Why?" I shot back. "'Cause I look like Tanya?"

That shut him up fast. He went to say something, thought better of it, and looked down. Then he seemed to realize something and stuck his nose in the air, saying loftily, "'S got nothing to do with it."

Please. My little brother was more mature.

"Look," I said. "I can't work with someone who's always picking a fight."

He shot a careless glance at me over his shoulder. "That's fine with me. I prefer to work alone anyway."

"I see!" I said, for some reason feeling hurt and indignant. "So you're saying you don't need me?"

I walked behind his back, but I noticed his head bent reflexively in my direction as I gathered my clothes.

"H-hey!" he said. "Where you going?"

"What do you care?" I countered wearily. "I'm going home." I folded my clothes over my arm and gave him my best lofty glance. "Goodbye, Edward."

I walked away, casually swinging the pouch that contained the jewel shard on my finger.

"Y-You can't just leave, you—!" he protested, bolting to a standing position.

"My name is Bella," I said, filling in the blank for him. "Not 'you.' So please address me that way."

"Wait a minute, stupid!" he shouted anyway. I resisted the urge to sigh. There was no getting around the brick wall that was Edward's stubbornness.

"It's not 'stupid,' either."

"Will you just hear me out?!" he cried, getting angry.

"Why?" I demanded, turning back to him. "So you can try and stop me?"

"No," he said, suddenly appearing not a foot away from me. I jumped at his sudden movements. "So you can give me your jewel shard."

"Oh, this?" I asked innocently, lifting up the bag. Then I glared at him. "Sit!"

He went plunging face-first into the ground again, and I stalked off furiously. That selfish, mean brute! He never once used my name, not _once_!

* * *

**Irina's POV**

The woman of the village led me to her small house, where apparently her daughter had collapsed without warning.

"She seemed fine this morning..." the woman said uncertainly as we entered the hut. The daughter was pale, but otherwise in good health, or so it seemed.

I was just about to walk across the floor to her, when something shiny caught my eye. The entire house was covered in strings of... hair. _Demon_ hair, which could be stronger than a thick rope when used correctly.

The girl suddenly flew into the air, or so the mother must have seen it. To me, she was being treated as a puppet by the hair. Whoever was guiding her was far from here, using the hair in its stead. The coward. The girl appeared to be unconscious, but that could be induced or not.

The hatchet on the floor near her bed started shaking viciously, and it seemed the hairs were trying to pull it up. The mother and I gasped in unison as it flew into the girl's hand, who caught it without looking and then flung it at me in the same movement.

Blood spurted through the air.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

There it was. I'd finally found the well again. I was sure I could go home through it. I mean, it brought me here, didn't it? I walked over to it, still carrying my real clothes. I tied the jewel back to my waist, not trusting myself to keep up with it in my hands. I was far too klutzy for that.

Just at the rim of the well, I stopped, looking down into it. It was full of bones, and there were fresh ones, too. Those must have been the bones of Mistress Centipede.

Just remembering her sent shivers through my body. I couldn't go in there now. There was no way.

I dropped my clothes on the ground beside me as I squatted down, still peering into the well. Now what was I supposed to do?

I turned over on my butt, leaning my back against the well and looking up at the sky to guess the time. That was when I noticed something shiny and then a leaf just cut itself in half, mid-air.

What?

Oh, not cut _itself_. Once I actually looked, there were thousands of hairs everywhere. What kind of place was this? Were these hairs all here the last time I was?

I stood up, and one sliced my face, leaving a tiny cut across my cheek. "Ouch!" I complained.

"Oh my, oh me!" a female voice said, sounding impressed and surprised equally. "You can see it, then! My web of hairs, I mean."

She appeared before me, standing on several of the strands of hair, more coming from her fingertips. What was she? Was she a demon like Edward or the centipede monster? And what was with those hairs? Normal strands of human hair couldn't hold the weight of a body, they'd snap.

Then she smirked. "Pity. Because seeing's not enough."

"Who are you?" I demanded, surprised at the total lack of fear in my voice. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about every other part of my body...

She just laughed a little, staring at me.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I ran through the woods back to Irina's village. There was nothing else for me to do, I might as well check on why the old bat was taking so long to come back. The sun would set soon.

For some reason, that stupid girl's voice kept playing itself in my head.

_I'm going home. _

_Goodbye, Edward._

I scoffed, picking up my pace.

_Let her go,_ I thought to myself. _You're better off without her._

When I got to the village, all thoughts of the stranger were driven from my head immediately. There were several women floating in midair, seemingly unconscious. I stopped in the middle of their semi-circle, and looked down, smirking ironically. "Well," I said casually, "I guess I shouldn't ask what you're all up to."

They all carried weapons of some sort, and within moments they were trying to attack me with them.

"All right!" I cheered, dodging them easily. "Now this is what I'm talking about!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The strange woman's hands moved without necessity. It seemed her fingers, the ones with the hairs coming from them, were always moving. Why, though?

"How do you do?" she asked, wrenching me from my thoughts. "They call me 'Joanna of the Demon Hair.' But you needn't bother to remember... because you'll be dead soon!"

And then, to my surprise, her hairs were whipping my all over. I would've laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, but it actually hurt a lot. The hairs were ripping my clothes, and cutting my skin, burning like a thousand paper cuts in the same spot. Then she used one particular hair to yank the jewel shard's bag from my waist. I gasped when I realized that was what she was after and that I couldn't stop her from taking it.

She caught the bag when the hair flung it at her, and she let the shard fall into her pale. Her eyes widened. "Oh! You naughty, naughty girl! You shattered the jewel! Tell me where the rest is, or I shall be cross."

"Give that back!" I demanded.

"Answer my question!" she shot back. "Where is the rest of the jewel?"

"I... I don't really know, exactly," I stuttered, blushing again.

"Oh," she sighed, only a little disappointed. A sword was pulled up by a hair to her side. "In that case..." she grabbed the sword's handle and flew at me, preparing to kill me, "I may as well just finish you right now!"

On a reflex, I took a step away from her, gasping. And then I tripped over the edge of the well, tumbling into it and screaming at the top of my lungs.

* * *

**Joanna's POV**

"No fair, escaping!" I cried, throwing my sword down after the well after the girl.

I waited a few moments after I heard the sword it hit the bottom of the well, landing on its sides, before yanking it back up by one of my hairs.

Huh. That was strange. There was no blood on the sword, which meant the girl had escaped. Come to think of it, that girl herself had been pretty strange.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

The girls from the village kept circling me in some weird sort of ritual-like movements. I was already a little bored with this. What was the point? Besides, why were they even doing this? I hadn't done anything to them this time around. And why did they look almost dead?

"Look!" I shouted at them. "Is someone going to tell me what's going on, or do you just wanna fight? 'Cause that's fine if you do. Just don't expect I'll go easy on you."

Then I heard that hag's voice, sounding even wearier than usual, "Nay, Edward!"

"Huh?" I straightened up, looking around for her. Then I noticed something slithering around on the ground like a red and white snake, and realized it was Irina. She'd been wounded—her shoulder was bleeding horribly—and she couldn't seem to walk anymore.

"Do not hurt the girls!" she cried out to me, still trying to pull herself along. "'Tis not their doing!"

On a reflex I hadn't known I had, I jumped over the girls and landed in front of the old woman, for some reason really anxious about her wound. "What happened to you? You look awful!" I said in a rush.

Her eyes narrowed up at me. "Must ye always treat an old woman thus?" she asked, bitingly sarcastic. I guess I may have come off a little callous then. That was usually my way: the first moment I realize I'm feeling something weak or humanlike, I get all mean and angry. It was second nature, not something I thought about. I just did it.

I shook my head quickly. We were getting off topic. "About the girls," I reminded her. "It's them or us, and I choose us."

She sighed impatiently. "But someone else is controlling them." Then she gasped, looking around wildly as though she'd just realized she'd forgotten something really important behind. "Where's Bella?" she demanded. "Tell me ye know where she is."

I scoffed. Why was this girl suddenly such a big deal? "All I know is that she said she was going home. Who cares? It's not like I can't handle these women on my own."

"You mustn't!" she protested viciously. "Do not harm them!"

I sighed, frustrated. "Your heart bleeds in more ways than one, old woman. But if you're planning on seeing tomorrow, we have to do something."

She groaned, a mix between impatience and pain. "Don't you understand?" she demanded. "We must get to the one who is controlling them."

One of the women charged at me, flapping around her hatchet like she didn't care if she harmed anyone else.

"Now you've completely lost it!" I shouted to Irina. It looked like these girls knew exactly what they were doing to me. There wasn't anything controlling them, not that I could see anyway. Well, they did look like they were unconscious, but still...

"The hair, Edward!" she cried. "Cut the hair, and mayhap they will wake!"

"The what?" I shouted back, a little more than "frustrated" at the large group of women attacking me. There were too many to be gentle with. I couldn't take them that way. "I don't see any hair!"

Suddenly all the women flew high up into the air, circling me like vultures. "What the—?"

Irina seemed to know immediately what was going on, and screamed in shock and angst. "A trap! Edward, flee the hair!"

Then, before I could even react, I was bound so tight my arms were practically stuck to my sides permanently. But whatever was holding me so tightly I couldn't see. There was just my arms and clothes sticking tight around me, seemingly of my own will.

But then I got an idea. I started jumping backwards, away from all the girls and the supposed hair, and the girls fell to the ground as their controlling hairs broke. I laughed triumphantly.

"Whoever's doing this ain't too smart!" I shouted, hoping to get a reaction from somewhere, so I knew where to expect my opponent from. "'Cause even tied up like this I don't need to see to drag out whoever's on the other end!"

* * *

**Joanna's POV**

Taunting me from the village, I watched from the forest as the little vampire demon tried to drag me out by my hairs. I smirked, flicking the ones that bound him off my fingers.

"Ohh, so sorry!" I said, mock-apologetically. He screamed, flying backwards at the lack of opposition.

"I suppose I've teased you long enough," I said, opening my hands wide. "Let's wrap this up, shall we?"

I pulled my hands away from each other, tightening the circle of tied hairs in the center, that also were tied around the demon's body. As soon as my circle was tight enough, he was sent careening into a nearby tree and bound there, my hairs holding every inch of him as tight as possible. I planned to cut of his head with them, and take his hair. That was the way with all my victims. Waste not, want not, after all.

The boy cried out when the invisible threads pushed and pulled him into the tree. I was sure he was feeling rather scared and confused as he felt somethings tighten themselves around him, especially his throat. He screamed in frustration and effort, straining against them.

Finally, he won, and my soldiering little hairs literally cut the tree behind him into pieces.

The hair's on my fingers suddenly fell to the ground. What?

The hair was slack. That could only mean that the head wasn't severed. Damn wretch.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I fell to my hands and knees, panting and holding onto my neck. I almost couldn't believe it was still in tact.

"Oh, man," I gulped. "I thought I was a goner."

Irina sat up onto her knees, gently touching her shoulder. "And so would ye have been, had ye been a human."

Then a large group of men came out of nowhere, all holding their own weapons of choice—mostly hoes and other garden tools from their recent yard work.

"The village men!" Irina cried, looking at them in horror. I resisted the urge to sigh frustrated.

"Know something?" I asked her rhetorically. "I'm getting _really _tired of this."

"Edward," she said seriously, in her tiny hurt voice, "save yourself. Leave this old woman."

"Aw, spare me the martyr act, would you?" I said.

Then she groaned and slumped forward onto the ground.

"Hey!" I shouted, alarmed. "Are you ok?"

* * *

**Joanna's POV**

It took me ages to reel back in all of the hairs that that worthless vampire demon broke. But it was worth it.

As I pulled them in, winding them around my comb and into my home, I found a single strand of hair that didn't belong to me. It was reddish-brown, and shone bronze with a hint of gold in the sunlight. Beautiful.

"Such pretty bronze hair," I said to myself, smiling excitedly. I already knew my plan. I never let such pretty hair get away from me.

I jumped from my perch, swinging along my hairs back to my lair. He was stubborn, but he was also fun. I lifted his hair to see it again, smiling in anticipation. And I simply had to have that beautiful bronze hair of his.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I had no choice but to run. Irina was in no condition to even see a battlefield let alone be part of the fight. I put her on my back, and ran at my own speed.

She groaned a few times in pain, and I kept shouting back, "Hang in there!" though I knew I was talking to myself as much as her. Why was I even worried about her? I barely knew her. She was just some old nuisance, the little sister of a traitorous witch.

"Be careful, Edward!" she groaned almost incoherently. I wasn't sure I even heard her right. "Lest you touch... the hair... will..."

She cried out again, ducking behind my back like she saw something I didn't. "Hey, did you say something, old woman?" I asked her.

"Not at all," she said flatly.

Huh. Whatever.

When I was sure we were far away from the sight of all the demons and hairs and stuff, I laid the old woman down as gently as I could underneath a tree.

"Did I hear you say you can _see_ the hairs?" I demanded of her. There wasn't much time to waste. The sun was already setting, and that demon was loose somewhere, probably possessing more innocent people.

"Aye," she groaned.

"Can you tell me where it's being pulled from?" I asked eagerly.

"Ask not the impossible," she chastised me. "With me in this condition... and even with my seeing powers... hurry... Bella can—"

"So she can see it, too?" I said flatly. Why did this girl have to get dragged into everything I did now?

"Aye," she said. "And to defeat this foe, ye will be needing that power. Bella is necessary for this victory. Without her, ye stand no chance."

She groaned again, and then her eyes slowly shut and her body relaxed.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was dark, but I could still hear. It sounded like car horns from heavy traffic, and radios booming. Did that mean...?

"We've looked in this well over and over again," said my grandmother's voice wearily.

I gasped, staring up at the entrance to the well.

"But I already told you, it's where she fell in!" Eric's voice protested hoarsely, like he hadn't gotten much sleep lately.

"You must've been dreaming," Grandma's voice returned. And a light suddenly shone in my face as they lowered a flashlight down the well.

I blinked, in total shock. Was I really home?

"Grandma?!" I called up. "Eric?!"

Outside again, everything was so wonderfully modern and present-day-ish. The telephone poles, the skyscrapers in the distance, the many houses and buildings and trucks and cars and bikes and normal clothes. I could sit there and stare at my world for hours and not get sick of it. Amazing what I'd taken for granted.

I was really home. Back in my own time.

While I watched the inanimate, previously unimportant things, my grandmother and brother watched me.

"Bella!" my grandmother said to me, still seemingly in shock. "You've been gone for three days... We've been so worried!"

"Yeah, Bells, what happened to you?" Eric joined in. "Why are you wearing those weird old clothes?"

Inexplicably, without my permission, my eyes filled with tears and my throat got all choked. It wasn't a dream. I was really home! It was over, and I was truly safe again! No more monsters...!

I whirled around and nearly tackled Grandma, sobbing like I hadn't done since I was at most Eric's age. "Grandma! I was so scared!"

She seemed even more shocked now. "Bella...?! What _happened_?!"

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I waited for a few moments, staring at her and feeling strangely anxious. Was she dead...? After nothing for several minutes, I jumped to her side and spent the next fifteen minutes or so digging a hole in the ground. Then I lowered her into it, covering her lower body and torso with more dirt and leaves.

"Well," I said out loud, even though she couldn't hear me anymore, "all things considered, old woman... it's the least I could do for you."

"I... am not dead, Edward," she told me softly, without opening her eyes. "I'm resting, not dead."

"Then think of it as a hiding place," I said, picking up a handle more of leaves and scattering them over the mound of dirt that was her would-be burial sight. "I'll even come back and dig you out, if I don't forget."

"Are you sure?" she demanded. "Ye had better not forget!"

I finished covering her, sighed, and got up to walk away. That had wasted enough of my time.

"Do not forget, Edward!" her voice called after me.

"All right, all right, already!" I said impatiently. Besides, I was a little frustrated that I had to go and waste more time tracking down that stupid girl.

I broke into a run, as fast as I could push myself, and took off following her smell. _Curse that stupid woman,_ I thought angrily. _Taking off on me right when I need her._

As I ran, I thought I heard the sound of someone or something pursuing me, but whenever I turned, there was nothing there. Must've been the wind or something.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

In my bathroom, I ran shampoo and conditioner and water through my hair, relishing the warm water that I sat in. I didn't usually take baths anymore, but this was a special occasion, and I needed time to relax and wind down.

I sighed contentedly, dunking my hair under the water. _Shampoo, it's a good thing_.

* * *

**Joanna's POV**

I chuckled to myself as I made my hair follow that stupid vampire demon as he went to find that strange girl. "Little girl," I said in a sing-song voice, "come out, come out, wherever you are..."

* * *

**So now Joanna's after Bella and Edward, not just the shard that she already has. Why? Will Edward be able to find Bella?**

**Please review!**


	5. Joanna of the Demon Hair

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**I just wanted to clarify something here and now: in this, Edward **_**can't**_** read minds, and he can bleed and Bella isn't his "singer." He's a halfling, so I took away a lot of his powers and made him as normal as he can be. After all, if he could read minds, he'd know where to find all the jewel shards and wouldn't need Bella anymore, would he?**

* * *

_Last time_

I chuckled to myself as I made my hair follow that stupid vampire demon as he went to find that strange girl. "Little girl," I said in a sing-song voice, "come out, come out, wherever you are..."

* * *

Joanna of the Demon-Hair

**Eric's POV**

Bella told us everything. How some creepy eight-armed centipede monster dragged her into the well, which actually turned out to be some sort of time passage into the feudal era, with monsters all over the place. She told us how she met some others there, an old woman named Irina and some vampire monster named Edward. I couldn't understand how calm she was being about all this. Maybe she was just in shock.

I couldn't tell about Mom and Grandma, but I believed her. I'd seen it with my own eyes, her being taken. How could I _not _believe her?

Bella finished her story and went upstairs to take a shower or a bath or something. I think she was out though, because I couldn't hear the running water anymore. Maybe she was taking a nap. Facing all those monsters _would_ be tiring.

Mom sat down at the table with Grandma and me. Grandma seemed uncaring at the moment, her face not expressing her opinion at all. But Mom was dubious. She was completely against Bella.

"Come on, don't tell me you actually believe her story," she said to Grandma, echoing my thoughts.

I jumped to my feet, but it didn't make much of a difference. Third-graders weren't famous for being tall after all. "But it _is _true!" I protested. "Bella fell down the well and then a monster came up and kidnapped her!"

Grandma nodded once, seeming to think. "The legend has been passed down through the ages about 'the bone-eater's well'... It tells of an evil within it that causes the corpses of monsters to disappear... somewhere. What if that 'somewhere' were the stream of time? What if the flow of the time-space continuum has disrupted?"

Grandma immediately rushed out to the well house and hammered down a new cover. Then she covered _that_ with "sacred seals" of some kind that were supposed to keep anything from ever coming out it again. I didn't really buy that. How could a flimsy piece of paper glued to a piece of wood stop anything that really wanted to come?

Bella came back downstairs shortly after that, with a Band-Aid on her face from that cut and finally wearing normal clothes. She took her hair out of that towel-turban thing that girls do when they get out of the shower or bath and started blow drying it in the living room, with Ink of course curled up in her lap. Dang cat never left her alone. But this wasn't usually her style. She always blow dried her hair in the bathroom. She must have really missed us, or been really scared, to want our company so badly.

Grandma told her what she'd done as soon as Bells sat down. Bella looked at her confusedly.

"Huh? _Sealed_?" she asked blankly. At least I wasn't the only one lost.

"Yep," Grandma answered carelessly. "We needn't worry about anymore visitors from the netherworld. I used special spirit wards just in case. The well will never open again."

For some reason, Bella looked a little ashamed. Why? Had she promised someone she'd go back? Or that she'd do something for them? Did they know how to come here, and were out there stuck in the well now?

* * *

**Edward's POV**

This time, her scent was easy to follow. I was getting used to it. It smelled like Tanya's in that it was flower-like, but hers had more strength to it. It was like freesia and honey and all kinds of sweet things. Tanya's had been more rustic: woods and flowers and most of the time the scent of slaughtered demons that she'd taken care of. I wasn't sure which smell I liked more (assuming that Tanya's smell was clean, of course, I couldn't stand the smell of blood on her). They were both alluring in different ways. But not in my vampire sense. I was a halfling, and could therefore eat human food as well as blood. I actually had preferred human food all my life, and this was probably the product of my mother's raising. She'd taught me first-thing to never ever feed on humans.

The girl's scent was strong near the well, which meant she could still be there. Or that she lingered there for a long time.

When I stopped just a few feet away from the well, I noticed the girl's strange clothes still sitting there. The sun had long since set, and there was no sign of her. But still her clothes lay next to the well as if they belonged there.

Why would she leave them?

But damn. That meant she really did go back to her own world.

I stood up and glanced in the well. Through there?

Well, there was only one way to find out. I jumped over the edge of the wood-made well, falling deeper than I would have thought the well went.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I'd gotten my fill of staring at my family again. It was so hard to believe I'd only been gone three days. It felt like three months. It was so lonely without them, and so frightening, though I didn't like admitting that. But now I was back, and they were here with me again.

I collapsed on my stomach across my bed, sighing contentedly. Home sweet home. Ink curled up next to me, cuddling into my stomach. He'd always liked me best in the family since I'd found him as a kitten. Someone had thrown him into a garbage can, the pricks, and I rescued him and nursed him back to health. Now he was a fat lazy housecat, and he seemed to adore me.

_It's almost like it never happened,_ I thought. _Was I really there, in that weird other time and place?_

For some reason, Old Irina's tired voice suddenly jumped into my mind. _"I see. Ye think do it alone, do ye, Edward? Ye forget only yon girl can see those shards. Without her, Edward, ye would never find them all. While only ye have strength enough to procure them once found."_

And it was even my fault that the jewel was broken. Now I wasn't even going to stay and clean up the mess that I made?

And what about that girl with the hair? What did she want? Duh. The jewel of course. What if she wouldn't give it back? Edward would be so angry if he found out. I could already hear him.

"_I never asked for your help. Go home. You'll only slow my down, anyway."_

Hmph! That's right. Edward didn't even want me around anyway. What was I doing, sitting there feeling all guilty? He was probably doing a little happy dance now that I was gone and out of his way. All right, then. I would be done with him. Chapter closed. Besides, I couldn't return to that world now even if I wanted to. As far as I was concerned, it was just a dream.

"Bella!" Mom's voice called up the stairs. "It's dinner time! And your friend's on the phone!"

"Coming!" I called, darting off my bed.

* * *

**Eric's POV**

I was still nervous about that well. What if more monsters came out and tried to take Bella again? Or me? I was sure I wouldn't be as lucky as Bella was in that situation. I'd be killed straight off the bat.

"Grandma," I said, fidgeting at the dinner table. "Are you sure those seals of yours will work?"

"'Course they will," she said dismissively, laying out napkins on the table for dinner. "Have a little faith, will you? If there's one thing I know, it's spirits."

Bella finally hung up the phone with her friend and almost knocked her chair over in her haste to sit at the dinner table. She looked high on her own happiness or something, and was staring at the plain old beef and potatoes on the table like it was a feast for kings.

She gasped delightedly. "Oh, real food! Real food, real food, real food, real food!"

She kept chanting that stupid little mantra of hers over and over again, while Grandma tried to speak to her over it.

"I'll defend you to my death, Bella," Grandma said seriously, looking at the table. She looked really tired from not sleeping those three nights Bella was missing. "So don't you worry."

As soon as Grandma stopped talking, Bella stopped chanting, and her face didn't look changed at all by what Grandma had said.

I leaned over and said to Grandma, "I don't think she heard you."

"Let's dig in!" Bella cheered, grabbing her silverware and starting to eat like she hadn't in years.

Outside the door, there were heavy footfalls like someone was storming down the hall and into there. The door slammed open, and there stood the craziest boy I'd ever seen. He was wearing a really loose red shirt and some red pants. Who the heck was that guy? He looked furious, glaring at Bella, who seemed to recognize him.

"E-Edward?" she stuttered, looking way more confused than scared. It was the other way around with me. That was the guy she'd told us was rude, and arrogant and self-centered. And strong and dangerous.

"You idiot!" he scolded. "Who told you, you could go back home?"

She put down her fork and turned around, stunned. "But... Uh... How did you...? Where did you come from?"

"Through the well, of course!" Edward said impatiently.

"The well?" Bella repeated blankly. "But it's—"

"You lie!" Grandma accused, jumping to her feet and getting right up in the Edward guy's face. "I made those spirit wards myself, there's no way you could have—"

Edward rolled his green eyes, holding up a piece of paper. "Well, I hate to break it to you, old woman, but they don't work." Oh, the piece of paper was one of the seals. Apparently he really had come through the well.

He promptly bent down and grabbed Bella's arm, practically dragging her out the door.

"Now come on, you, we're leaving," he declared.

Bella snatched her arm back. "No! And you can't make me!"

That was a little childish....

Suddenly Bella's eyes widened and she stared in shock at Edward's shoulder.

"Edward!" she said, pointing. "Do you see that?"

Edward glanced down at his shoulder and arm. "What? I don't see nothing." I didn't either. What was Sis going on about now?

"A hair," Bella said, slowly putting her hand to his shoulder and then pulling away. Now she stared at her empty palm like there was something wrong with it. Or something on it.

All of a sudden her hand started bleeding, like something had cut it.

"Bella! Your hand!" Mom cried out in shock.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Why weren't they understanding? There was some really strange looking hair on Edward's shoulder! I took it off, holding it in my palm, when it tightened suddenly and cut my skin. It hurt a little, but I was more shocked that the hair moved by itself.

I tried to show it to my family, but they only stared at my hands blankly, like they thought I was crazy or something. Only I could see it.

"_Pity. Because seeing's not enough."_

I gasped, realizing. This hair was one of Joanna's. That meant...

I ran back out to the well house, Edward hot on my heels. He obviously thought I was going back to his time, which for the moment I had no intention of doing. I had to check. If that hair was here in my world, then that could only mean there was more.

And sure enough, I was right. Spilling out of the well in massive chaotic coils, Joanna's hair was slowly finding its way out of the well house.

I gasped, seeing it all, while Edward casually leaned against the door frame. Either he didn't see the hair, or he didn't see the threat of it.

"Hair!" I cried. "Lots and lots of it!"

Edward just stared at me calmly, almost speculatively. "So the old crone was right. You _can _see the stuff."

I whirled around on him angrily. "You did it!" I accused. "You led it right to us!"

A distraction arrived in the form of my family chasing out after us. I couldn't have them in the well house too. They'd only be in danger.

"Don't come in!" I shouted at them, slamming the door in their faces and locking it. The room suddenly got very dark, but there was enough light to barely see by. Edward didn't seem to be affected at all. Maybe vampires had some special night vision or something.

I leaned against the door, staring at the hair as I tried to think of some way I could stop it from coming out. There had to be _some_ way! I was so intent on my own staring, that I barely felt Edward's gaze on me.

The hair suddenly charged right at me, and I gasped and jumped aside. The hair didn't falter, it just went after Edward.

"Edward! In front of you!" I called to him. He jumped out of the way just in time, his face annoyed. He obviously didn't like invisible opponents.

"Where, here?" he said, slicing at nothing. Then he surprised me by jumping out of the way of another assault that I hadn't had time to warn him about. I supposed with his special hearing, he could hear the wind the hair made when it rushed around.

My family banged on the locked door, demanding to come in.

"Bella, open the door _now_!"

"Bella!"

"Sis, come on!"

I wasn't listening. I was far too preoccupied with Edward. Even though he jumped in midair, the hair caught him by his wrist and ankles. Only his right arm was still free, and he was flailing it around angrily. Within moments, he'd hacked the hair off himself.

The glowing black snakes of hair just melded back together.

"It re-grows, even cut!" I nearly shrieked. "And there's so _much_!"

As a huge clump of it gathered together again and locked around Edward's wrist, I noticed one hair that looked stronger than the rest coming out of the well by itself. It didn't have any companion strands, plus it looked tougher, so that had to be _it_. That one strand of hair controlled it all. If it got cut...

I ran down the stairs to where Edward was forcing himself free of the clumps of hair, and pointed to the strand.

"Here, it's this one," I said. "Cut this one right here."

"Which one?" he asked, once again slicing at air. "This one?"

He wasn't getting anywhere without my help, that much was obvious. I grabbed the strand of hair between my hands and pulled it down so that I wasn't reaching up anymore. As I did, it cut my palm. I winced, especially when the blood started running along the hair.

But that's all it took. Edward's eyes widened, because he could now see the strand from my blood.

"I see it!" he declared, and promptly chopped the strand in half.

That accomplished, all the rest of the masses just withered away into dust, retreating into the well. It was kind of gross actually, the way the hair slithered on its own, but I didn't want to think about that.

Rubbing my sore palm absentmindedly, I got a bad feeling about all of that. Joanna already had my shard of the jewel, so why would she have followed Edward to my time like this? ... Unless she was really after Edward and I? But that couldn't happen! If she was after me, too, then she'd come back here again. That meant my family was in danger. I couldn't allow that to happen.

"Let's get going," I said to Edward, reluctantly putting my hands on the brim of the well.

Edward looked at me in mild surprise. "Why? I thought you said you didn't want to go back."

"I don't, but I have to," I answered honestly. Edward's eyes widened and he even slightly gasped, as though he'd thought I cared only about myself.

While I pondered that bleak prospect (that people actually saw me as selfish) I felt something suddenly get put on my head and around my shoulders. I turned around in shock, to see Edward only wearing the undershirt, a white one, with his red long sleeved top missing. He'd put it around me, covering me head as well.

He couldn't meet my eyes as he said, "It's cloth spun from the fur of a fire rat. It's stronger than any suit of armor."

"Th-thanks," I stuttered. Who knew Edward could be nice?

But of course, leave it to him to ruin the moment. "You'll need it... with skin as weak and frail as yours," he informed me, all blasé.

My somewhat awed glance turned into an icy glare. "You always know just what to say," I muttered sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he groaned, jumping onto the side of the well. "You ready?"

"Mm-hmm," I said hesitantly, slowly joining him on the brim. We jumped together, his arm around my waist like he thought I couldn't guide myself through the one-way time thing. Please.

* * *

_Hear me, Edward._ _Bella truly is Tanya reborn. However, she is not aware yet of the scope of her powers. Help her, Edward. Ye must both work together. This is no time for quarrelling. Ye need Bella, Edward. And, Bella, ye need him. Forget ye differences for now and be as_ one_! Edward, join your powers and fight. Only by working together will ye triumph. Also... don't ye_ dare _forget where ye buried me!_

* * *

**Bella's POV**

On the way through the well, I explained to Edward about how I thought Joanna was really after me and him, rather than my jewel shard.

He jumped up first, grabbing onto the sides but not getting out. He looked back down at me, still climbing up.

"So you're saying that what Joanna is really after is just us?" he asked.

"Well, duh," I said. "I mean, she already took my shard of the jewel, so what else could she be after?"

"What—? Your shard of the—?!" Edward spluttered frantically. "How did that happen?"

I didn't even listen. Something shiny caught my eye about the moment he started speaking, and all my attention went to it. I tracked the glowing strand of hair back into the woods, where several more joined it. They all created a sick-looking web of glowing black hair all the way down the forest path.

"I can see several glowing strands of hair in there," I told Edward, who silently fumed behind me at my lack of absorption with him. "But all we need to worry about is the main one. If we follow that one, it'll lead us right to Joanna." I pointed towards the hair. "There!"

Even though he'd just been behind me in the well, Edward was suddenly standing in front of me, pulling me onto his back. What the—? How did he move so quickly? Was that some half-demon trick of his, too?

His strange red shirt flapped noisily against my back as he took off running faster than I could even see, running in the direction I'd pointed at. Surprising me with its suddenness, Edward stopped. There was hardly any difference except wind was no longer whipping my face and everything was suddenly perfectly viewable again. I felt extremely sick to my stomach.

"A bonfire..." Edward murmured, and I couldn't tell if he said the words to himself or to me. I looked over his shoulder only to see several men laying drunkenly around an open campfire. They looked almost dead...

They were.

"Their heads are gone!" I cried, horrified, in an octave far higher than my normal voice.

Edward sighed like he was about to do something he really didn't want to. He got up from our kneeling position and left me on the ground, walking over to the fire. He studied the men with a cursory glance, trying to keep his face expressionless.

"They're fallen warriors," he informed me. I glanced around, trying to look anywhere but the bodies. Something caught my eye, and I moved closer to it without even thinking about it. "From Granny Irina's village. They must've gotten tangled in the hairs. Really bad luck. Something you might do, huh?"

I heard the grounds objects move around as he turned to face me.

He must have seen my back to him, because his tone sharpened. "Now what's the matter? Stop looking so depressed. I better not hear you're scared or you want to go home."

I shot him a glare over my shoulder before picking up the bow and arrows from the dead soldier in front of me.

"I.... I thought I'd borrow this," I said, turning back to him and standing up. _We have to kill her now,_ I wanted to add, _or more innocent people will die._

He stared at me for a long second, thinking, before shrugging and half-turning away.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Whatever. What did it matter to me if she wanted to fight Joanna? It wasn't just me Joanna was after. Bella might have wanted some justification too. So why _did_ it bother me at the thought of her in battle? Maybe because she was so tiny and vulnerable-looking. Some long-dead instinct to protect the weak coming out in me, I supposed.

"You know you're not gonna hit," I told her, turning away and crouching down so she could climb on my back again. "Why bother carting them around?"

I scaled the cliffside easily, but with every step I felt her hands hold tighter around my neck. If I were human, she probably would've killed me by now. Why was she so scared? That was normal for me. Fast traveling, nothing standing in my way.... Still, I tried to slow down a tiny bit. Not much, but a little. Joanna was still on the loose, after all.

"How rude!" she said. "I just need practice, that's all!"

"Practice?" I asked. I almost laughed. How could you practice something you didn't know how to do? "Don't you mean, 'learn'?"

"From now on, I will!" she said defensively. "You just watch me. I'll get better."

As she spoke, her fingers closed around my shoulder even more tightly. I could feel the warmth even through my white shirt. It was surprisingly pleasant.

_What?! Why am I thinking that, at a time like this? This girl... She's hopeless, but I have to admit, she's gutsy. And who knows? Maybe she'll do it, after all._

Bella suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, and I thought for a second she the ability to hear my thoughts.

"The main lines are gathering," she said. "She's close!"

Well, thanks for the warning. Not two seconds after she said that, the tree we'd landed in fell in pieces, probably chopped up by the hairs. Which was oh-so-convenient because they were invisible. Well, not to Bella, but to me.

I landed on my feet, trying to keep my balance. It was a lot harder with Bella on my back. I heard some rustling in front of me as Bella screamed, "They're here!"

I pushed hard against the boulders littering the ground, shooting us further back.

"From the left!" Bella warned. I jumped to the right. "No, from the right, too!" I wheeled around and jumped off to the left, trying to avoid what I couldn't even see assaulting me. She suddenly screamed, her hands at a stranglehold around my neck. She was probably seeing all the hairs. I was almost glad I couldn't.

"There's too many!" Bella snapped. "Use your instincts, and help me!"

"_Help_?" I demanded, glaring at her over my shoulder. "I thought that's what _you_ were here for! You're not really good for much, are you?"

She didn't even listen—again. The freaking girl had a habit for ignoring me and it really ticked me off.

"Left!" she squealed. I jumped to the nearest boulder, off to my right. "Behind!"

I jumped forward, onto the ground in front of me. "Oh, c'mon! Give me a break!" I groaned.

I slid down the hillside, hoping to avoid the hairs. It seemed to work, because even though Bella was turned around and probably watching them, she didn't say anything. And then something wrapped around my wrist. I knew it was the hair, because I could _feel_ it, but I couldn't see it. Nuisance.

The hair pulled my wrist so that it completely yanked me off the ground. Bella fell off my back in the process, landing face-first on the ground.

"Edward!" the girl called after me, in shock, probably. Then her tone turned merely curious. "A giant hairball?" What the hell? Was she insane? "...Joanna's hiding place!"

Oh.

Speak of the devil. No sooner had the words left her mouth than Joanna herself came flying—or so it seemed—out of nowhere. She stopped and stood, presumably on her hair, before me.

"Hmm," she said, eyeing me up. "Such a fine prey."

I struggled against her hairs, but they wouldn't break. It was like she was taunting me on purpose: giving me a few inches and hope, and then not breaking.

"You're Edward, aren't you?" she asked. I glared up at her.

"And you must be Joanna of the Demon Hair," I said. There was no mistaking the anger and disgust in my voice, and I made it that way on purpose. "How do you know my name?"

"You have quite a reputation among my little circle," she taunted, smirking. "We all heard that a half-breed named Edward became the pet of a reincarnated priestess in order to collect the shards of the Sacred Jewel."

"Me?!" I exploded. "A _pet_ to that fool of a girl?! Who the hell told you _that_?"

"Call it what you will." She didn't sound interested at all. And then her voice hardened as she said, "You're both fools to me." She pulled some red drawstring bag out of her cleavage. _Ew, talk about throwing yourself out there._ "Just look what you've done to the poor jewel."

I growled, unable to do much else. From however many feet below me, I heard Bella say, "That's the jewel fragment she stole from me."

Joanna shrugged, putting the jewel back. "In any case," she went on carelessly, "I'll deal with you two and go look for the other shards myself."

"_You_?" I taunted. "Deal with _me_?" The whole idea was laughable. She looked about as weak as Bella. As I spoke, I struggled against her hairs again. They had to give up sometime. "When this is over, you're going to regret the day you even heard my name!"

Finally! The hairs broke, but I kept my hand wrapped up around one part of it. Then I swung toward her, slashing out with my claws. She dodged, making it look like it was nothing. Some red comb appeared out of nowhere in her hands, and she combed through the air like she thought it was hair. Or maybe there _was_ hair there, and I just couldn't see it. Great.

"The same tactic over and over again!" I shouted.

I instantly regretted it.

Some slithery stuff completely wrapped up my body and then fled, leaving my wrists and ankles bound again. "Damn it!" I said, struggling against them.

Scaring the hell out of me, Joanna was suddenly right behind me, her voice in my ear. She touched my hair, running her fingers over and through it.

"Such pretty hair..." she murmured, more to herself than to me. Did she have a fetish for hair or something? "But you really haven't taken care of it, have you? So many split ends..."

I thrust my elbow back, right into her stomach. "Get off of me!"

She fell backwards, and I thought for a moment that she would just hit the ground, die, and we'd all go on happily ever after. But of course she cartwheeled and dived through the air, making it look more like swimming than flying. Then she suddenly shot back up into the air, aimed directly at me. I pulled and yanked at the hair, but that time it didn't give even a little bit.

As she came back up, she drew a sword from her waist. She cut across my chest as she flew by. Since I wasn't wearing my red shirt, I actually bled. And man it hurt like hell. I screamed out loud. Who wouldn't?

She landed right in front of me again, but then she did something truly sick: she licked my blood off her sword. If she were a vampire or something like that, I might have understood. But being an ordinary human, that was just _wrong_.

She giggled, like she knew what I was thinking. "I'm going to cut you into little pieces."

She launched herself at me while I crouched on whatever was holding me up, preparing to strike when she got too close. But, surprising us both, an arrow shot right in front of Joanna, and she fell back, gasping. I glanced down and saw Bella notch another arrow, pointing it at Joanna. She glared at her, and she forcibly reminded me of something innocent and small, that thought it was something so much stronger. Like a kitten and a tiger.

Of course, with that glare and the bow and arrow, she reminded me too strongly of someone else, too, so I refused to look at her, instead watching Joanna's facial reactions.

"Release Edward!" she commanded. "Because next time I won't miss!"

"The woman that fell in the well...?" Joanna asked blankly, more to herself than to anyone else. She stared at Bella as though she were seeing a ghost.

"You heard me!" Bella shouted. "Let him go _now_!"

"Ooh," Joanna laughed, straightening up to look at me. "I think she wants you back, Edward. You two must be very close."

"Fool!" I shouted down at Bella, giving up the charade of not looking at her. "I told you to hide, not draw attention to yourself! Forget me and run away!"

Just as I'd thought, Joanna stared at her sword speculatively. "Of course, her hair's not so pretty as yours, Edward, but... waste not."

"'Not so pretty as his,' huh?" Bella said back. "What would _you_ know about it? You live in a world where they don't even have shampoo!"

Shampoo? She was talking nonsense when she could die any minute? Maybe that girl _was _a lost cause....

She released the arrow angrily, not even looking away from Joanna. The arrow came straight for me, and I heard Bella gasp. I ducked as fast as I could, and the arrow flew over my head. I whirled to face her, glaring.

"Would you _watch where you're aiming that thing, please_?" I screeched.

But then the arrow struck something in midair, something I couldn't see.

And then I saw it: a lilac-colored light began spreading around and suddenly everything was visible to me. I could see the hair, the huge hairball nest of hers, and the skulls and hair suddenly raining down from the hole Bella had made.

"Oh, no! What have you _done_?" Joanna cried, clutching her face in horror.

I focused more on the skulls, some of them in particular standing out to me. They were those fallen warriors we saw in the woods.

"Your head will soon occupy a place in there, too, Edward," Joanna said, bringing me back into the conversation. "All that fine bronze-colored hair.... I can't wait to play with it." She lowered herself down, taking out that red comb again. "Before I can do that, however... that woman over there has to die!"

She thrust the comb at Bella, and several hairs came from it, all of them on fire. They landed around Bella as she crouched in the fetal position, trying to protect herself. I wasn't that worried. My shirt on her would protect from something so mundane as fire. She just had to make sure all of herself was covered by it.

"There!" Joanna exulted. "How do you like my fire? You'll feel the heat right down to your bones."

"Help me," Bella whispered, burying her head under her arms. Joanna turned away from both of us, smirking.

"Aw," she mock-groaned. She seemed to be talking to herself. The freak. "That's for messing with my nest! That woman... she'll be left with not even bones."

"Why you...!" I growled. She turned back to me, seeming surprised. Like she'd forgotten I was there.

"Are you sad?" she taunted me. "Poor thing..." She whirled around, taking out her sword again. "Well, you'll be joining her in no time."

She launched herself at me again, preparing to cut me—_again_. I dug my nails into my wound, flinching. Then I pulled my hand back out and slashed at her, even though she was a good ten feet away.

"Blades of Blood!"

"Blades...?" she repeated, confused. Her eyes widened and she gasped when the trails of blood from my fingers created actual red blades that then hacked at her. She smirked at me, dodging them all.... All but one. One of the blades took off her right hand, the one holding her sword.

She didn't even look fazed.

I gasped, feeling the hair at the wrists go slightly slack. It was loosening up.

"My hand..." she said, almost curiously, as she stared at her bleeding stump of an arm.

"Now you can't control your strands!" I couldn't help but taunt her. Saying I served that girl... Well, payback's a bitch!

"You should treat ladies more gently!" Joanna snapped. "People will laugh at you, you know?"

Suddenly, her skulls came flying at me.

"Playtime's over!" she announced.

I punched each of the skulls, and they shattered easily. Stupid of her to think that that would stop me. But then I glanced at her and realized it was just a diversion. The skulls were meant as decoys, nothing more.

She directed her sword at me, her hand still on it. Gross. What the hell _was_ she? The sword almost hit me, but I jumped out of the way just in time.

"Damn!" she muttered. "I almost had your head!"

"Like I'd really let that happen!" I shot back, slicing more blades at her. She just flicked the comb and a wall of hair appeared before her, protecting her.

I shouldn't have been watching her so closely. As I did, her sword came from behind me and stabbed my left shoulder. I screamed again, unable to stop myself. I wasn't used to pain.

But on the plus side, her hair went completely slack, dropping me to the ground face-first.

"You're just a half-breed," she said calmly while I glared up at her—she'd already reattached her hand and was holding the sword in the other. What was she?! "With half the power."

"Damn you," I groaned, not able to do much else at that moment.

She flew down to me slowly, taking the jewel back out momentarily. "Poor little thing... You wanted this to become a full demon, didn't you?"

She landed on the ground beside me, holding the sword poised at my face.

"Now stay still," she said in her annoying sing-song voice. "I have to sever your head very carefully so that blood won't stain those bronze locks."

She swung her sword down, going to cut my head off from the front.

"Don't you wish!" I growled, using my claws to stab right in her chest. I yanked my hand back, the drawstring pouch with the jewel shard in it landing right in front of me, while I crouched on all fours.

"Hah!" I said. "That'll teach you."

She stomped on my hand while I flinched.

"How very rude," she said, almost angrily now. "Thrusting your hand into the breasts of a woman you've only just met?"

She didn't feel anything! Why wasn't she _dead_?

She knelt down, snatching back the pouch before I could react. "And to have taken my jewel shard while you were at it. Stubborn, aren't you?"

Where could it be? Where was her weak spot?

Joanna stood up, about to attack me again, when she gasped and whirled around to face her nest. Bella was there, high up, and still climbing higher.

"That woman..." Joanna said, practically growling. She thrust her hand forward as though she could slap Bella, and the whole nest started shaking. Bella fell a few feet, screaming, until she caught another strand of thick black hair. I glanced beside me and saw Joanna's dropped sword. I grabbed it, getting up.

"You shouldn't have looked away!"

I sliced right through her body, but the hair's blocked my view of what was happening. When they cleared and she turned back to me, she didn't have a scratch on her.

"You are becoming quite the nuisance!" she snapped, waving her hand again. The hairs on my wrists and ankles tightened, pulling me up into the air again.

I laughed once. "When I took your hand off, it was like you broke a nail. But now you seem mad for real. Is something worrying you over there?"

Joanna growled at me, her dark eyes blazing, but didn't answer. Bella half-turned still clutching the hair for dear life.

"Edward!" she called. I glanced up to see her pointing at another of the skulls up there. "There's something inside that... that red skull!"

"What red skull?" I called back. I didn't see anything like that.

But apparently Joanna did. Practically snarling, she launched herself off the ground to Bella. I snatched the strands of hair off me, getting ready to go after her.

"Oh, no, you don't!" I hollered.

I jumped after her, while she waved her hand again. The whole nest of hair started closing around Bella, but she didn't seem to notice or care. Several strands blocked my path. I tried to dodge them and keep going. Bella grabbed another skull to pull herself up, wincing.

"If it hurts you, let go!" Joanna screeched, sending the sword flying at her.

Bella let go of the hair in shock, falling backwards. Joanna's hair strands caught her wrists exactly like mine, but she looked fine. The sword had hit a place where my shirt protected her.

"What _are_ you?!" Joanna yelled, seeming almost afraid. "Why don't you _bleed_?!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Hanging in the air by hair is not a fun thing to do. Especially with some psychotic, half-dressed woman is after your life.

_She's right,_ I thought, staring at my arm. _My whole arm should've been cut off. And back there, the flames should've killed me. Is it because of this shirt? _

I suddenly remembered when Edward put it around me, not able to meet my eyes. "_It's cloth spun from fur of the fire rat. It's stronger than any suit of armor."_

Before I knew what happened, Joanna was right in front of me, staring at me curiously.

"Even from here, you look mortal enough to me," she said. She glared. "How's this, then?"

She waved her fingers and hairs suddenly closed around my throat, strangling me. She laughed derisively, until Edward's cry, "Blades of Blood!" cut her off.

I suddenly felt so tired, out of breath. "E-Edward..." I murmured. The blades of his must have cut her strands of hair, because they slackened, and then I was falling with the nest of hair. Edward sprang out of nowhere and caught me.

"Don't you faint on me, girl!" he warned. "I can't be looking after you!"

He fell to the ground, his arm around my waist. When we landed, the nest was still falling around us. Edward tucked me into his side, seeming not to think about it, shielding me with his body with his arms around my shoulders. I suddenly heard something whipping through the air, and glanced over to see the sword flying at me.

"Edward! Look out!" I screeched, pointing. He turned, and only had time to gasp and push me out of the way. The sword went right through his right shoulder. He screamed in pain.

"You forget I'm immortal!" Joanna said, standing on a nearby boulder. She yanked her hand back, and as though called by the hairs, the sword was pulled out of Edward's shoulder and back into her hands.

After a split second of gloating time, she threw the sword, seemingly with all her weight behind it, right at him. But I'd already found the red skull again. I took one of my arrows and kept digging it in, banging away. Joanna stopped, gasping, her sword paused not a foot away from Edward's face.

"It's here!" I told Edward. "This red skull has hairs that are connected to her hands."

"Stop that!" Joanna screamed. "I'll kill you!"

She flung the sword at me, but I had finally broken the skull. The sword stopped and fell right behind me, and Joanna's body literally turned to dust. Was that how all demons died or something? She left her clothes and personal belongings behind. The jewel was one of them.

I picked up the red comb that was in the skull, staring at it in shock. Edward got up and walked over to me, clutching his newest wound.

"So _that's_ what Joanna was," he said.

I stared up at him. "Joanna was a comb?" I asked blankly.

"Well, sure," he said. "With all that you've seen since you came here, are you _surprised_? It's probably got weird, supernatural powers, since it was once used to comb the hair of the dead. Joanna didn't really use it, so much as _it_ used _her_."

He suddenly groaned and fell to his knees, pressing his hand harder to his chest.

"Edward!" I said in shock. "You're really badly hurt... only because I'm wearing your Fire Rat shirt."

"It's nothing," he groaned. He looked up at me. "What happened to the jewel shard?"

I gave him back his shirt and walked over to the boulder that Joanna last stood on. The jewel shard was still in the bag, which I dropped back to the ground.

"Here it is," I said. "I wonder how long it'll take to get the rest of them back...?"

"Let's go, Bella."

My eyes widened and I nearly fell over in my haste to turn around.

"What?" Edward demanded.

"You never said my name before," I murmured, still in shock. I kind of liked hearing him say it. I stood up to find him right beside me.

"So what?" he asked.

"It's just that I think you like me more now," I said, unable to stop myself from smiling.

He turned back to me, smiling so brightly that I was momentarily unable to remember my own name. Then, of course, being Edward, he had to ruin everything by saying in a sarcastically sweet voice, "Of course. I always wanted a fool and a weakling for a friend."

"Ah!" I gasped, offended to my core. "I saved you life just now!" I smacked his back, forgetting his injuries.

He practically screamed and fell over to the ground.

"So what's wrong with you now?" I snapped vindictively. "A _weakling_ couldn't hurt you, could she?!"

He didn't even try to get up, he just stayed flopped over on the ground, his head buried in the grass and dirt, his arms splayed out, and muttered, "Oh, shut up."

* * *

**So that was long, huh? It took me forever, so sorry. **

**Anyway, please review! They make me want to update faster! **


	6. Aristocratic Assassin, Peter

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**I am SO sorry for the long update. I just finished my AP European History exam for a college credit at the Virginia Beach Convention Center last night, so I don't have much to do now. Ergo, this chapter was written! Haha love the nice word. Anyway, I hope this chapter makes up for my slowness! **

* * *

Aristocratic Assassin, Peter

**Jenkins' POV**

Lord Peter stood at the base of the hill, either waiting for me or sizing up the territory, I didn't know. He never waited for me, but allowed me to follow him. My Staff of Two Heads had an important mission in front of it. It was supposed to lead Lord Peter and I to our prize.

I chased after it, the staff leading me to a shrine at the top of a hill. I caught the staff and waited for Lord Peter to catch up. He never sped up, either, but took his sweet time doing whatever he wanted.

"Here it is, milord!"

"You're sure?" he asked, in his usual dead-calm voice.

"Aye, milord," I said eagerly. "The staff pointed in this direction, then lodged itself by this tomb. We'll check it immediately."

I ran forward, holding the staff ready, but found that the entire tomb was guarded by wolves. They crept out from behind rocks, snarling and growling at me. I pulled up short, staring at them. _Why would beasts respect a tomb?_

I turned back to my lord. "Lord Peter!" I shouted. "It is here! There's no mistake!"

He walked forward, completely blasé, as he stepped through the circle of wild wolves. I hid behind him, not wanting to be eaten. But, very unthankfully, Lord Peter stopped when he reached the center of their circle. He stared at each of them individually.

"The fang..." he murmured. "I search for the fang. Once I possess it, I will be able to transform myself into an even greater power." He looked down, laughing once, almost bitterly. Was he talking to himself, or me, or the dogs? "It seems my power is still insufficient. I'm still too naïve. Am I unsure of myself? No... I just don't know my own limits."

"I presume too much of my power..." he concluded. The wolves sprang at him, but he whirled around, his vampire reflexes allowing him to strike them all down until, within seconds, they lay dead at his feet. Several got away, barking and running off with their tails between their legs, but Lord Peter didn't go after them.

I stared at them in horror, wishing I could run too. Working for Lord Peter was very beneficial to me many times, because he was the most powerful demon in the world, but sometimes he was too frightening to bear.

"Jenkins," he said now, and my head snapped up to meet his cold, dull red eyes. "The staff. Position it."

"Yes, milord," I said immediately, scrambling up the rock shrine as fast as I could. If Lord Peter was that merciless with mere strangers, I hated to think what he would do to me if I made him angry.

I kicked the wooden box away, cleaning the spot before placing my staff on the rock. My lord and I both stared at the two wooden heads on the staff, one of an old man and the other a beautiful woman. We waited in silence, and finally the beautiful woman opened her eyes and screamed.

"The beauty's face is screaming," I surmised out loud. "Does that mean this is not the tomb you seek?"

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Peter turned around and walked away, his face as expressionless as before. He didn't even pause to give me time to catch up, but I was used to that by now.

"Lord Peter, please wait!" I called, jumping off the shrine and scrabbling after him.

* * *

**Myoga's POV (pronounced "Me-yoga")**

Who knew that a peaceful nap on a wolf would turn into such a blood bath? I had been sleeping on one of the wolves I fed on, being the flea I am, when this great god-looking man came onto the scene with some imp of a servant.

The man was as beautiful as he was terrible: dull red eyes that seemed to pierce through you, hair black as night. Then I realized he wasn't even human when he slaughtered more than half the wolves protecting Lord Edward's father's tomb.

_With his bare hands._

And I'd thought I'd seen it all.

Well, whoever he was, Lord Edward would certainly want to know.

* * *

**Soldier's POV**

We were camped out by the lake, celebrating our latest victory in the war. Our new General was amazing—we'd yet to lose a battle with him as our leader.

Our legion was with him, small, only some one thousand men. We were resting for the battle tomorrow.

"We rejoin the main troops tomorrow," General said. "Men! Eat boar's meat tonight and energize yourselves!"

"Aye!" the man next to me cried. "And let us give thanks that such a man of strength and power is our lord and master!"

"Lead us to victory!" more cheers followed.

I stayed silent, watching the general's almost insane wide-eyed grin.

"I'll take the enemy general's head!" the General yelled. He took the boar in his arms, laughing, and put in it a headlock. I flinched when the sound of its neck breaking were heard.

Suddenly there was the sound of attack nearby, men screaming, and bodies falling to the ground.

The General pushed his way through the crowd, each of us following him. There stood a man as handsome as he was terrifying. He looked deadly calm, his piercing red eyes staring at us.

"What's this?" the General demanded. "Who are you?"

The stranger merely turned and gave a passing glance to our great general.

"I need a boat," he stated simply, his voice as eerily calm and emotionless as the rest of him.

"You need a what?" the General asked. The he burst into laughter again. "Who has the luxury to lend you a boat in the middle of war? And _we're _to give it, are we?"

"Yes, you are," the man said, staring. "And now."

The General's laughter was cut short, and he glared at the strange man. "I think not!" he bellowed, drawing his sword and charging at the man.

The man moved with inhuman speed; in the blink of an eye, he was ten yards away, holding the General up by the neck. He then broke his neck and tossed him into the lake as carelessly as batting away a fly.

The men around me and I gasped in horror. What manner of beast was he? That thing wasn't even human!

"Lord Peter!" an unpleasantly nasal voice called. The beast turned and glanced behind itself cursorily.

A green little toad of a creature emerged from the reeds, carrying some sort of staff. The little thing wasn't more than knee height, but it looked disgusting.

"I regret to inform you that there are no boats in this area," the thing went on. Then he glanced at the water where our boats were lined up and said embarrassedly, "U-Unless you count those over there..."

"Wh-what _is_ that?" my fellow soldiers began crying, tightening their grips on their weapons. I followed suit and drew my sword for my own protection.

"You're not mortal, are you?" a man demanded of the red-eyed monster.

"Beast!" another screamed. "We'll kill you!"

The creature merely bowed its head, as though we were boring it. "How barbaric," it said, blasé. "I'll let you deal with them, Jenkins."

Deal with us? As if that knee-high creature could take out one thousand men!

The man turned and walked away as calmly as though we had just given him directions, and the green creature laughed evilly, approaching us with his staff held high. We men charged at him, belting out war cries.

As the green thing raised up his staff, the wooden head of an old man suddenly opened its mouth and out blew something bright and orange.

Before any of us knew what had happened, we were engulfed in a river of flames.

* * *

**Jenkins' POV**

Finally. Those damn soldiers get more arrogant with every battle, so that each time Lord Peter passed them he had to teach them their lesson anew. If they hadn't resisted us, they might still be alive.

I looked around, realizing that Lord Peter was no longer with me.

"Wait for me, milord! I'm coming!"

As I ran after him, the staff suddenly stopped, yanking me backwards a few steps. Then it flew out of my hands and floated a few feet away, rotating so that the old man's head pointed in a new direction. Wherever he looked, the fang in his father's tomb Lord Peter sought was. Why would a tomb move?

Was the location of the fang—and therefore Lord Peter's father's tomb—_changing_?

When I finally caught up with Lord Peter in the boat, I didn't want to tell him about the staff changing directions. It would only make him upset if I told him my theory, but as it was he was going in the wrong direction.

"Uh, Lord Peter..." I hesitated.

He didn't turned, just said impassively, "Yes?"

I dug the pole into the mud below the water, pushing the boat further along and delaying my answer.

"Um, the location of the tomb," I hedged. "Wouldn't Edward know of it?"

I flinched, watching Lord Peter's back stiffen. "Edward?" he growled.

In one single movement, he smacked me out of the boat and into the water, grabbed onto the pole, and held me under the water with it.

"That's a name I'd rather not remember, Jenkins," he said warningly.

"Please forgive me!" I shouted as best I could over the rippling water crashing over my face.

"Besides," Peter said carelessly, "he is, for our purposes, dead. I heard a shrine maiden sealed him to a tree fifty years ago."

"Yes," I said, desperately paddling to stay above the water. "But, sire, I have heard that the spell was undone by a girl only recently. And besides, my staff has been pointing in a different direction lately. I believe it has something to do with Edward's awakening."

Peter didn't move except to narrow his eyes in anger.

"Speaking of the staff, my lord," I said, now almost completely under the water, "mightn't you remove it? I can't breathe!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I finally came over in the other well, back in the feudal era. This time, though, I'd thought ahead. I brought my bike (which I hadn't even thought about in years) so that I could move about on this side easier. You never knew how much you relied on cars until you had to walk miles to the nearest inn.

My bike was a corny looking thing that my mom had bought me when I was about twelve. It was pink, with a basket like you'd see in _The Wizard of Oz_ on the handlebars.

I jumped on and headed off in the direction of Irina's village, thinking about the absurdity of my whole situation.

How could an average fifteen-year-old high schooler like me get thrust into some weird medieval time? But then, in the present, my family owned and protected an ancient shrine. We had that stupid "sacred" thousand-year-old tree near the house, and a scary well. _So I guess we're pretty weird ourselves_.

Without telling them to do so, my thoughts turned to Edward.

…He's rude, he's crude, and he _says_ he hates me, but if we could find the jewel that was all that mattered, right? I sighed. It's just, it would help if we could get along better.

When I rode into the village, I left my bike over my Irina's house and walked back to the tree where Edward was sulking about who knew what.

"'First-aid treatment'?" he repeated me skeptically. "Don't need it. Go away."

"You do, too!" I shouted back up to him. "That's a serious wound in your chest. I was there, remember? Come down here!"

"Nothing doing," he replied, not even deigning to open his eyes.

When it was clear to me that he had no intention of moving, I just took a breath and said, "Sit, boy!"

Immediately, he plunged out of the tree and landed face-first in the dirt.

He popped his head back up as soon as he could, now covered in dirt. "What'd you do that for?" he demanded angrily.

"I'm helping wrap up your wound," I said simply. "What else would I be doing, fool? You've just been injured really bad and need medical treatment!"

"Let's get one thing clear," he said, "_I_ was the winner. You're acting like I lost to that Joanna demon!"

* * *

**Irina's POV**

With my arm newly wrapped up thanks to Bella, I walked outside to try and find the two of them. Bella had gone home almost immediately after the battle with Joanna and then Edward had disappeared to sulk in his tree.

Some children of the village followed me on my search for them, dancing around me with so much energy. Was I ever that young?

"Lady Irina," one said, "are you all better?"

"Aye, child," I said, smiling reassuringly at her. "My arm is much better now."

"And you're gonna find all the pieces of the jewel soon, too?" she went on.

"Not soon, perhaps, but yes," I said. Then I sighed, remembering Bella and Edward's bickering earlier. "Though it would help if Edward and Bella would get along and like each other a bit more."

The girl glanced away from me to the tree we were headed towards, grinned, and looked back at me. She pointed at the towards the tree and said, "But they _do_ like each other!"

That was impossible. I turned to see who she was pointing at and saw Edward lying on the ground, Bella straddling his waist and commanding him, "Just take off your damn clothes!" And then Edward's response, "_Beg_ me to!"

"Avert ye eyes!" I commanded the children. They giggled and ran away while I walked over to the two exhibitionists, who glanced over at me confusedly when they heard my harshness towards the children. "Mayhap ye like each other more than I first thought," I told them.

Bella and Edward looked at each other confusedly for a moment, before the whole situation and the connotations of my words came through to them. Both blushed and Bella leaped off Edward's lap. Edward stood up, trying to fix his shirt where Bella had started tugging it off.

He glanced down at her condescendingly. "I would have thought you'd figure it out by now," he said, pushing his shirt down to reveal his perfectly healed shoulder. There wasn't a trace to be found of a battle wound.

Bella gasped, but it might not have been just for the quickness of the healing. I had to admit that to a young girl, Edward's finely chiseled chest would cause fluttering. I was amazed she was talking, she looked so flustered. "It's already gone..."

"For so great a wound to have healed so quickly and leave no scar..." I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.

But Edward scoffed, righting his clothes again. "Don't compare me to mortals. Just because it would have killed one of you doesn't make it a big deal for me."

Suddenly, Edward flinched, and opened up his shirt again. There was a little speck of a flea on his chest, sucking his blood. The flea pulled back and actually spoke.

"Greetings, Master Edward," he said.

Edward smacked his chest, flattening the flea against his hand. Then he opened his hand again in recognition. "Well, if it ain't Myoga the flea."

"Myoga?" Bella repeated. "What kind of name is that?"

Edward shrugged. "A flea's."

The flea dropped out of Edward's hand and fell to the ground. Edward kneeled beside him, asking, "So what'd you come to tell me?"

Bella sprayed something all over the flea, as if it were an instinct, and Myoga fell to the ground like he was sleeping.

Edward looked at the bottle in her hand confusedly. "What's that do?" he asked.

Bella blushed, looking from the bottle to the now comatose flea on the ground. "Oops," she said, looking even more confused. "Shouldn't I have?"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

That night just at sundown, we all went into Granny Irina's house. Myoga—I still couldn't get over how strange a name that was—had come to tell Edward some important news. Or at least, it must have been important because he didn't want to say it outside.

So we sat around the fire pit in the middle of the room, on opposite sides. I sat across from Lady Irina, Edward to my left, and Myoga to my right.

"What do you mean, someone's trying to find my old man's tomb?" Edward asked confusedly.

Was that what the flea said? Wait—_said_. That was the problem: Myoga was a flea. He shouldn't be saying anything! Regardless, I was having the worst time trying to understand him.

"As protector of the tomb, I could bear it no longer," the flea said solemnly. He kept shooting glances at me that seemed to say, _Yes, idiot, I can speak, now will you stop gawking at me?!_ But I couldn't.

"So you took off and came running here, huh?" Edward said callously, like he didn't even care.

That was when it hit me: we were talking about Edward's _father_. He'd never once mentioned his parents in the time I'd known him. Not that he'd really had time to, of course, in between trying to kill me for the jewel and then fighting Joanna...

"But that tomb was just stone," Myoga protested defensively. "The remains themselves are in another location."

Edward sat up a little straighter, looking politely disinterested. "Then where are they?"

The flea threw up four of its little arm things and shook its head. "Regrettably, sire, no one knows."

Edward smirked, putting his chin in his palm, braced against his knee. "Some protector you are."

"Edward," Irina murmured thoughtfully, "I have heard that your father was a phantom beast that once claimed the western lands as his domain..."

He just shrugged disinterestedly. "Can't say as I remember it that well."

So he'd never known his father? How sad. My father had died when I was ten years old, in some police accident. He'd gotten himself shot even after Renee had begged him not to go. She'd been alone ever since.

"Your father was a magnificent and powerful vampire," Myoga said, leaning forward enthusiastically. It didn't make that much of a difference, seeing as he was about two millimeters high. Maybe I was underestimating, though. No bigger than an inch, that's for sure.

"A demon among demons," he went on, nodding as though to himself.

"Then," I said, throwing myself out there, "what about his mother?"

Why was I so interested in this?

"She was a beauty beyond compare," Myoga said, smiling through his memories. "A true—"

All of a sudden, Edward's heel came down hard on Myoga, grinding him into the ground. I was about to yell at him for doing something like that, when I actually saw his face. I'd never seen him so pale—and that was saying something. There were so many emotions burning in his eyes, I couldn't read them all: pain, humiliation, love, more pain, lots of anger.

He stormed over to the door, and I sat up to my knees indignantly. "Hey, don't be so mean!" I chastised.

He paused, his hand on the doorknob, and shot me one dark look over his shoulder, somehow managing to avoid my gaze. "Just drop it, ok?" he said angrily. Then his voice dropped a bit, more a dull hum of words than anything else. "She died a long time ago."

I sat back on my heels, glancing at Irina embarrassedly, twirling a piece of hair through my fingers. "What did I say?" I asked, blushing.

Irina shrugged emotionlessly, stoking the fire. "I do not know," she said easily.

"I'm sorry," I said, lowering my eyes to my knees in humiliation. "All I did was ask about his mom, though..."

Myoga managed to bring himself back to a sitting position, his teeny face somehow sad. "Yes," he said, his voice mimicking that. "Master Edward is always like that when the conversation turns to his mother... He's preferred not to speak of her."

I stared at him for a moment, completely confused. Then I glanced at Irina's uncaring face and that decided me. If no one else cared about his thoughts and feelings, I would. He'd have to talk to me about them, and then he'd feel better.

But why would he get so upset over a little mention of his mother?

I ran outside and jumped on my bike, hurrying to the tree I knew he'd be in. Not _our_ tree, but still a favorite of his to think in. Just like I thought, he was sitting on one of the topmost branches, his arms crossed, staring at the moon sulkily. I hopped off my bike, walking slowly and rolling it along at my side. I knew he could hear me, but he didn't turn.

So his father was all demon, and a powerful vampire one at that. That was obviously where Edward got his speed and power from. But I'd heard Irina say that first day that Edward was only a _half_ demon. How is someone half vampire? What was the other half? If one part is demon, does that mean the other is... human?

I stopped walking and gasped quietly, my eyes widening in recognition. That was why!

I suddenly remembered Joanna's words, before we'd killed her.

_You're just a half demon with half the power..._ _Disappointed? I'll bet you were hoping to use this to become a full demon..._

Obviously half of him is mortal, or he wouldn't be so concerned for himself when I missed my mark shooting arrows. He _wasn't_ a whole vampire. I finally understood. _That_ why was Edward had such a horrible defensive tendency in him, especially when he was called a half-demon.

I looked up at him, still glaring moodily at the full moon.

His mother was human.

_Just drop it, ok? She died a long time ago._

Was that why he wouldn't talk about her? His mom was human, so he hated her? How could someone hate their own mom? Memories of my own suddenly flooded through me, tears welling up in my eyes slightly.

FLASH! _"I'm leaving!" I shouted, running for the door. It was hard to move, carrying my big, bulky yellow book bag. _

"_Bella, wait!" Renee called out to me from the kitchen. She suddenly hustled into view, holding a first-aid box. _

"_Mom, I can't!" I said urgently. Edward was already angry enough at me for holding him back. I couldn't slow him down anymore than necessary. I had to prove I wasn't totally worthless, like he seemed to think. "I've gotta _go_!"_

"_I know it's just another thing for you to tote around," Mom said, smiling slightly, "but take this."_

"_Mom," I complained, "I've got too much already." What good was a first-aid kit, anyway? Edward had already proved he wouldn't let anything happen to his 'Sacred Jewel Detector.'_

"_Didn't you say one of your friends there had gotten hurt?" she asked, her kind, brown eyes concerned. "I'm sure their treatment methods in that time aren't as good as ours now. Why don't you sterilize their wounds and treat them?"_

_I blinked, suddenly realizing that I hadn't even remembered Edward had been seriously hurt in that fight with Joanna. "Thanks," I mumbled, grabbing it and running for the door._ FLASH!

Moms were only there to help and love you. How awful for Edward not to have one. But I wondered if he _really_ hated her. I bet she really loved him.

Suddenly, a great gust a wind rushed around us, whipping my long brown hair into my face. I looked up curiously at the sky, seeing no incriminating clouds. But that was storm-degree winds. What else could cause it?

Edward jumped out of the tree without my noticing, and landed next to me, his hand on my head.

"Get down!" he said urgently. He pushed me down to a kneeling position, so that we were both crouched on the ground. It all happened so fast I was left, dizzy, on the ground, wondering what happened.

"Something's coming," he murmured distractedly, not taking his eyes off the moon. "Can't you feel it?"

To be perfectly honest, all I could feel at that moment was the heat of his hand lingering on my back, right between my shoulder blades. But he moved his hand away, and I was left to stare embarrassedly at the sky, not seeing or sensing any of the things he seemed to be. Was I defective, or was he super-sensitive? I really hoped it was the second. I didn't need another thing to add to my Reasons Bella's An Idiot list.

But then the clouds cleared a little bit, revealing a bizarre carriage—_in the sky_. Ok, I could die now. I'd seen it all. A freakin' carriage flying. But then I saw it was being pulled by flying birds, so maybe that was why.

As we watched together, the wind blew at just the right angle, blowing the curtains at the back of the carriage open. A beautiful woman, clothed in the finest clothes of that time, was wrapped in chains in the back. She had gorgeous reddish-brown hair, so long it pooled around her on the carriage floor. Her calm, somewhat sad emerald eyes widened in horror when she looked out the back and saw us on the ground below.

"There's a lady inside," I murmured, mostly to myself, my body frozen in shock.

Edward stood up stiffly beside me, walking a few steps forward like a man in a sickening dream.

"Edward!" I hissed. "What are you doing?"

He didn't even seem to hear me. He stared in fascination and blank confusion at the lady, who stared, horrified, right back. That was when I noticed their similarities...

"M-... Mother?" Edward whispered, in shock.

"It _is_ you..." the woman cried, her eyes welling up. "Edward!"

She leaned forward as though she were going to jump out of the carriage to him, the chains around her arms and torso tightened. She gasped and cried out in pain, bowing her head.

"Mother!" Edward cried, his voice raw, and he ran forward so fast he was a blur. He stopped just below the carriage, where he could still see her inside. I ran after him, as soon as I knew where he'd gone, of course.

I came to a stop next to him, panting. "It can't be your mom," I huffed. "You just told me she was dead!"

The carriage flew a little ways away, the bronze-haired woman calling, "Edward!" in a desperate voice as the curtains closed again. Edward cursed under his breath, his own emerald eyes narrowing in hatred at whoever had his mother wrapped in chains.

But it couldn't be his mother. He'd just told me himself that she was dead, right?

As we stared in transfixed horror, the birds carrying the carriage flew away, abandoning it in the air. An enormous demon's hand came out of nowhere, grasping the wooden thing as if it were a toothpick. The nasty green hand flexed a little, and the entire carriage shattered into a million pieces, falling to the ground.

The whole demon suddenly came into view, and it was amazing we'd missed him. It was like he was twenty feet tall or something. Ok, maybe that was an overstatement, but he was enormous, green, and nasty. Just like the ogres I'd imagined in fairy tales as a kid. The woman inside was left dangling from the demon's palm, gasping and crying out Edward's name until the demon squeezed so hard she fainted.

"Oh, no!" I screamed involuntarily. "He's hurting your mom!"

"No, he's not!" Edward growled viciously, launching himself into the air.

A huge fireball that didn't come out of the demon's mouth missed Edward my mere inches. But where had it come from?

I looked around and saw a teeny other little demon, perhaps knee-height but miniscule in comparison with Mongo here, standing on the huge demon's arm just above Edward's unconscious mother. He looked more like a frog than anything else, but he was too disgusting to even look at. He carried a staff with two weird looking heads on it, one of an older man and the other of a woman, and it was the male's head that had shot the fire.

Edward landed heavily on the ground about ten feet in front of me, glaring up at the toad thing. "You missed!" he taunted.

Of all the times for him to taunt the competition...

Then another man came into view, his hair coal black and his eyes not quite red enough to be terrifying, but enough to make perfectly clear he wasn't mortal. He was admittedly handsome, but too creepy as he stood calmly on the demon's left shoulder, just above the toad, his arms crossed as though bored.

"Jenkins," he said in an emotionless voice.

The toad flinched and turned around slowly at the sound of the man's voice.

"Aye, milord?" he asked nervously. Ew, even his voice was nasal and nasty.

"Kill him only after we've talked," the man said, completely blasé.

Perhaps it was the tone more than the words that scared both me and the creepy little toad demon, but the thing shivered and nodded. "Aye, milord," he said again, turning back to Edward.

Edward himself had stood up slowly when the man on the demon's shoulder had made his presence known. He stood glaring in shock at the man, and then his eyes narrowed in hated recognition.

"It _is_ you," he growled in a low voice. How could the man on the shoulder be expected to hear that? "Peter!" he barked.

The black-haired man smirked. "Ah, you remember me. I am flattered," his features softened ever so slightly as he added the last two words I expected to hear, "little brother."

"L-Little brother?" I stammered to Edward, who continued growling as though he hadn't heard me.

As soon as I spoke, the black-haired man's—whom I now knew was called _Peter_—dull red eyes widened in initial shock, and then narrowed in distaste. He stared at Edward, almost amused.

"Why, it's a human girl," he said, as amused as though I were the child of a supposedly near-extinct race. Where had this idiot been the last how-many years? Humans were around to stay, thank you very much.

I glared back at him as fiercely as I could and said, "You got a problem with that?" as calmly as I could, but I still took a few steps to the right so that I was shielded behind Edward, who even let me hold onto his loose-fitting shirt for support.

"Others would be shamed," the man said, definitely amused now, "but with you, little brother... the girl quite suits you."

The green little toad demon tightened the chains around the unconscious lady's neck, bringing her head up like a sick seal. The black-haired evil man calling himself Edward's brother stared at her in calm disdain.

"These disgusting creatures," he said as emotionlessly as ever, "these _humans"_—neither of us missed how he sneered the word into making it sound dirty—"I should think you'd had enough of them. Isn't it enough to be a half-demon, whose mother is human, and a disgrace to all our kind?"

His voice never raised or softened, but it did get angrier. So I guessed this wasn't a loving brother relationship. Edward ducked his head slightly, growling louder, his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles were white at his sides.

"Or is it a taste from Father?" Peter continued carelessly.

"That's not all, is it?" Edward shouted, infuriated. His voice lowered to a dangerous murmur. "You couldn't have come all this way just to tell me _that_," he finished, spitting the words out vehemently.

Peter's light green eyes narrowed to menacing slits, but his tone didn't change. The creepy factor was beginning to rise sky-high. Why didn't this man show any emotion besides anger?

"Be not a fool, half-breed," Peter said. "I've no such time to waste." He took a breath, as though asking God for patience, and then said, "I've come to ask you the location of our father's tomb. Where must I seek it?"

_How ironic,_ I couldn't help but think. The one night we talked about Edward's parents, and this jerk shows up.

"So _you're_ the one!" Edward snapped. He scoffed, smirking slightly. "I don't have a clue."

"Seeing, yet never seen," Peter said. "Protected, yet never known to its protector. No other clues to its whereabouts are known."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Edward snarled. "Besides, even if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't tell _you_!"

"I see..." Peter murmured, so quietly I almost didn't hear him. He looked down at the lady, still unconscious in the huge demon's hand, and said tranquilly, "Then you leave me no choice but to let your mother's suffering convince you."

As though connected through brainwaves, the sentence was barely out of Peter's mouth before the demon was clenching its hand around Edward's mother, crushing her.

I gasped, crying out. I even started forward to her. But what the heck could I do, especially against a creature like that?

Edward scoffed, carefully not looking at the woman. "Nice try, jerk," he shouted. "She's been dead for years, and we both know it!" He smirked. "Like I'd really fall for some stupid trick like that."

"A trick, is it?" Peter asked, his voice highly amused, and he even cracked a smirk. "Don't you think, with all my power, that I can't bring back your mother's soul from the Land of the Dead? And even find her a phsyical body?"

"And yet her own son won't believe that it's her," the imp creature chimed in, laughing in mocking sympathy. "How sad to be mother to one such as you!"

The bronze-haired woman, who actually seemed to have regained consciousness sometime back, struggled to raise her hand, stretching it out to Edward. "Edward!" she cried desperately.

Could it really be his mom, though? Edward seemed to be buying it, staring at the lady in the horror of a deer caught in headlights.

"Please... don't trouble yourself... I've been dead once... anyway..." the woman pleaded in a pained voice, her hand still reaching for Edward. Ok, call me stupid, but that did it for me. The demon's hand crushed down on her again, and she groaned and fainted once more. I gasped and whirled on Edward, about to scream at him to go. But it wasn't necessary.

"_Stop hurting her!" _Edward bellowed, leaping forward again. He did his clawing trick again, and within moments, he'd cut off the demon's hand. Edward was too preoccupied with dodging the screaming demon's flailing arms to catch the lady, and she landed roughly on the ground, her bronze hair spilling out around her pale skin.

I ran over to her, shooing away the imp-like demons that held her chains. Those little brutes I could deal with, easily even, but that big one...

"Are you all right?!" I asked the lady. She didn't wake up.

Edward suddenly whirled around, looking at me urgently over his shoulder.

I froze. Was that _fear_ in his eyes?

"Bella!" he commanded. "Take my mother and _get out of here_!"

"I think not," Peter said. "You won't escape."

The demon reached down to grab Edward's mother -- whose head was now in my lap -- and me in the process. I gasped, looking around desperately. But there was nothing I could do, especially trying to lug the woman with me.

Edward turned and shouted, "Mother!" running at us like it was his own life in danger.

Just as the demon was about to reach us, the lady sat up and gasped, seeing Edward jump over the demon's hand, using his entire body to hold it back.

She raised her hands and a white ball of light suddenly spread out, enveloping all three of us.

* * *

**Jenkins' POV**

Lord Peter and I shielded our eyes from the blinding light the woman suddenly put off. When the light receded, the demon moved its hand to reveal the three of them were all gone. I flinched, realizing what this would cost me.

Lord Peter's eyes narrowed in annoyance when he saw the others were gone. "What a nuisance," he murmured, more to himself.

Still, I said hastily, "Aye, milord, and yet it goes so well." I wasn't even lying then. The plan I'd concocted earlier had been going well, indeed, but with the Unmother being so perfectly loving to Edward... It was too good to pass up.

"Please, milord, leave everything to me," I said, bowing my head.

Lord Peter stared at me coldly. "This scheme of yours is beneath me," he said. "Should it fail, Jenkins, you will die."

I gasped, nearly falling over myself in fright. "As you w-will, my lord," I stammered.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

When I finally opened my eyes again, it was like I was in Heaven. There was a small field of grass with a forest on one side, and a pristine brook on the other. The sky was pink and gold in the setting sun, and there was a small bridge crossing the brook, but the other side of it wasn't visible.

I looked around curiously, taking it all in. "Where am I?" I asked out loud.

"We are at the border of the spirit world," Mother said, coming over to me. I stared at her, willing myself not to believe it was really her. I'd only end up hurting myself again.

"I must be crossing over it very soon," she finished quietly.

"Crossing over?" I repeated dumbly. "Oh, yeah." _Duh._ "You are dead, after all."

She turned her back on me, walking slowly away. I knew what that meant—she was crying. Whenever I'd done something wrong in childhood or made her sad in any way, her noblewoman teachings would kick in and she'd walk away. _Never show anyone your weaknesses._

I glanced around again, and finally my eyes found Bella. She was lying on the ground, asleep. She didn't look hurt, so I followed Mother.

"Edward..." she said softly, shaking her head slightly. "You... You've become a man, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah," I said. Wasn't it obvious? "I mean, when you died, I guess I was still just a little kid."

"Such terrible, violent days," she whispered, her voice breaking. Definitely crying. "And I left you... all alone, with no one to care for you..." She stopped walking suddenly, ducking her head and inhaling deeply. She turned around to face me slowly. "How you must have suffered... How can you ever forgive me?"

"It wasn't your fault," I said hastily, looking down. I'd never told anyone about how bad those days really were for me, and I certainly didn't want to start then. But I couldn't stand lying to her, so I couldn't meet her eyes. "It wasn't that big a deal."

"Edward..." she said in the tone I used to know meant, _Don't lie to me._

I glanced at her through the corner of my eye, feeling like a total loser for being about to cry. It had been so long, I'd honestly forgot what it felt like when someone else genuinely cared for you.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

My eyes slowly fluttered open, the entire landscape of the place I was in a little blurry. It finally came into view, and I saw Edward and his mother talking several feet away, where I couldn't hear them. Good. That meant she was ok.

I tried to sit up, but it felt like invisible hands were pinning me down. I was completely paralyzed. I gasped, looking around desperately, but there was nothing there. I just looked like I was calmly lying there.

As I glanced down at my immobile legs, I caught sight of another image: Edward and his mother's reflection in the water—

_But his mother didn't have a face._

I gasped again, staring at it. No, I was right: there was absolutely no reflection of the lady's beautiful face.

"Edward!" I tried to call, but all that came out of my mouth was a distorted hiss, not even loud enough to be heard over the gently babbling brook.

I couldn't speak, either.

As I watched in silent horror, the lady walked closer to Edward, looking at him sadly.

"Partings are never easy," she said softly. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes..." he said confusedly, looking away. His face was totally different around the woman he thought was his mom. It was open, unguarded. Almost childlike in its naivete and innocence.

I stared him, willing him to look up at me. Couldn't he see that the woman didn't have a reflection?

Whoever she was, she wasn't his mother!

* * *

**So that was a slight cliff-hanger. Sorry again for the long update, and please review!**

_**Preview: **_

**Bella's POV**

_To save his mom, Edward risked his life. From the kind of clothes she's wearing, I'd have to say he's from a super-rich mega-important old family. Never would have known with the way he speaks, though... How awful that Peter, Edward's half-brother, would use Edward's feelings for his mother as a trap. But with me paralyzed and mute, how can I possibly tell him that she's not his mother? _


	7. Tetsusaiga, the Phantom Sword

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

* * *

_Last Time_

As I watched in silent horror, the lady walked closer to Edward, looking at him sadly.

"Partings are never easy," she said softly. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes..." he said confusedly, looking away. His face was totally different around the woman he thought was his mom. It was open, unguarded. Almost childlike in its naivety and innocence.

I stared at him, willing him to look up at me. Couldn't he see that the woman didn't have a reflection?

Whoever she was, she wasn't his mother!

* * *

Tetsusaiga, the Phantom Sword

**Irina's POV**

Two hours. Two hours Bella has been gone without a trace, and Edward with or without her. They both had disappeared some time ago, but Edward was infamous for doing such things. Bella was not. I organized a search party as quickly as I could, and we all set out to scour the woods for her.

"Lady Bella!" the men shouted, holding torches over their heads. There must have been at least twenty men outside, all screaming, "Lady Bella!" on repeat.

One of them in particular, however, caught my interest.

"Oh," he groaned. "Oh, no. Hey! Over here!"

All of us gathered under Edward's tree, where he usually came to sulk. It was dark now, the moon hidden behind clouds, but Bella's "bye-cycle" was lying on its side, bent out of shape, underneath it.

Bella wouldn't have gone through the trouble of bringing the thing here, if she hadn't wanted to protect it. This could only mean bad things...

* * *

**Eric's POV**

It was past midnight, and I was _trying_ to get some sleep but this freaking annoying squeaky noise was giving me massive headaches. I sighed, jumping out of bed. I walked slowly downstairs, too tired to move quickly, and found Mom outside the front door, doing something to her bike.

I yawned, wiping my eyes lazily, and asked, "Mom, what are you doing out here?"

"Oh!" she said quickly, straightening up. "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry. I was just lowering the bicycle seat to your sister's height."

She promptly squatted down and resumed her work, smiling like she was proud of what she was doing. The squeaky noise was about to run me up a wall.

"Remember?" she asked when I didn't say anything. "She took her own bike over to that other world, but she can use mine. I thought she might have a hard time riding this one, though, because it's a little tall for her. She's still so small."

Her voice broke slightly on that last part. "She's not a baby, Mom," I reminded her. "She's fifteen. It's not her fault she's a shrimp." She laughed, and I went on carelessly, "But she'll be gone for two or three days, huh? Her backpack had a lot of clothes in it."

"I know," she said, smiling to the bike again. "But if she has a bike already waiting here for her, she'll have less to worry about when she gets back."

I smirked, throwing my arms behind my back and stretching. "She's lucky to have you to worry about her," I yawned again. "I'm sure glad _I_ don't make you worry like that."

"But I do," she protested easily, straightening up from the bike. "How can I not? I'm your mom. You _do_ still wet the bed..."

My face went scarlet, I didn't even need a mirror to tell me that. "Whoa, whoa!" I shrieked embarrassedly. "How can you say that?! I don't do that anymore! I'm in _third grade_, remember?"

She laughed again, but this time it was more at me than anything else. My face, if anything, got hotter.

She soon got all serious, and lowered her hand from her face. "But I want you to help out your sister around here, too, ok?"

"Sure," I agreed easily. How much help could a teenage girl need?

She sighed. "All I really want is for you two to be happy."

"Thanks," I grinned. "I know."

I glanced away from her for a split second, and my eyes fell on a falling star. Awesome!

"Quick!" I shouted. "Make a wish!"

"Oh!" Mom said eagerly. "To be happy..." she sighed, "oh, and to win the lottery."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The woman who claimed to be Edward's mother suddenly raised her head, looking at Edward intensely. Edward still looked confused. What person wouldn't be? You think your mom's been dead for years and all of a sudden some dude shows up in a flying carriage and proves you wrong.

It was obvious the lady was a noblewoman. She wore the nicest clothes I'd seen since I came to this world, and Edward didn't seem to find anything off about them. Could that mean Edward's mother was really a nobleman's daughter or wife? Was _Edward_ from a rich family? That seemed completely unbelievable, given the way he talked.

"Edward..." she said softly, "I must return to the netherworld."

"Oh," Edward said, looking away for a moment. In his now-unguarded state, his face showed only disappointment and pain, like he was remembering certain things he rather wouldn't be. "Must you go?"

'Must you go'? WHAT? Who the heck was this guy, and what had he done with the real Edward? Edward _never_ talked like that!

But wait... Maybe if his mom really was some noble lady, wouldn't he have been raised genteely? Would just being around her bring back those mannerisms for him?

The lady's eyes dilated slightly as she held out her hands. I thought for a brief second she wanted Edward to take them, but instead she made another lily appear in between her palms. As she lowered it down to the water, the petals scattered, causing ripples throughout the brook, which had suddenly gone still. Edward and her stared at it.

"The petals..." she murmured. "Look into the water."

Edward obediently stepped foward, crouching on the bank, his knees hovering right over the water. Suddenly, his eyes grew enormous, and he straightened up with a start of confusion and shock.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I crouched by the water, careful not to let myself get wet, and then glanced at the flower Mother had tossed in. I gasped when I saw something, but it wasn't a reflection. It was like watching images come to life and move on the surface, without causing a ripple.

I watched as a ball bounced over the bridge that had signified the end of Mother's old property, back when she was alive and a nobleman's daughter. My eyes widened, watching a little child version of myself, probably four or five years old again, run after it, my arms outstretched.

I remembered that day. I bared my teeth, hating watching this. I knew what came next.

To my surprise, however, the images didn't elaborate on why I was chasing the ball. Instead, it showed the little me bend down and scoop up the ball, turning around quickly with a confused look, and then catch sight of my mother, standing some feet away by the brook's edge, watching me. She wore the traditional clothes of a woman of her rank, the exact clothes she was wearing as she stood just behind me.

In the vision, I promptly threw the ball down and ran to her, and she bent to gather me in her arms.

The image suddenly changed to Mother sitting by the lake's edge in her boathouse, me in her lap. She had her arms firmly around my torso, always mindful of my running and flailing about. She's always been afraid I'd fall in the water and drown myself when she wasn't being careful.

"That's me..." I murmured out loud, in shock. "Back when I was still small..."

"So you remember!" Mother's voice came to me. She laughed once. "That's good."

I couldn't see her anymore. For some reason, I couldn't look away from the vision in front of me. It was almost like I was _there_, in that peaceful, happy picture, and not at the edge of the border to the afterlife.

I... I couldn't move. Why was I getting so tired?

"When you were a child, I often held you that way," Mother's voice said, floating to me from who knew how far away. I dimly felt her small arms cross around my torso, just as she had done in the image and all throughout my childhood. "I held you close to my heart," she said. "Just as I am doing now." Her tone changed slightly, becoming more hypnotic and sleep-inducing.

I was finding a hard time trying to keep my eyes open.

"Good boy..." she whispered in my ear. "Let me hold you tight."

She turned me around, and I sluggishly allowed her to do so. I couldn't remember how to move right.

I thought she was going to hug me or something when her arms wound themselves around to my back, but instead I felt something sharp prod right through my skin. I groaned as she said, "I'll never let go. Not now, not ever."

"Mother..." I started.

I couldn't have time to finish before the world went black.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Edward! Why couldn't he see that she wasn't his mom? Standing there hugging her like that when she could be some sort of assassin.

Any why the hell couldn't I move?

Suddenly, everything changed. The sky went black, like it was nighttime all of a sudden. The plush green grass I was lying on became cold, unyielding stone. The cheerful babbling brook morphed into a hideous stream of black sludge. Edward's "mother" lost her face, but the rest of her remained the same as she drew Edward closer to her, while Edward himself appeared unconscious.

And I was bound in chains by little imps.

It was all an illusion! The place, his mom -- all of it!

"Bella!" cried a little voice in my ear. I couldn't move my head to see who it was, seeing as I was still bound in chains, but I could tell by the decibel and tenor of the voice that it was Myoga. "Snap out of it!" he demanded, jumping on my face, making me feel itchy and ticklish. "It's me -- me! Myoga the flea!"

When I didn't answer, he jumped onto my shoulder and started talking to himself, or so it seemed. As if he wasn't weird enough already.

"Who'd have thought Peter, Master Edward's older brother, would be the one seeking the tomb?" he declared. "And what a formidable foe he is! And here you are, Bella, poor thing, totally unable to move. So chained up you couldn't even swallow." He paused for second, and when he spoke again his tone had changed to one of longing. "Couldn't even swallow... mmm... blood..."

Before I knew what had happened, he was collapsed on my cheek, sucking my blood. I snapped my hand up and slapped him off hard, like I would a mosquito. The imps binding my chains, being no more than a foot tall in contrast to my five feet four inches, shrieked and ran away, leaving the chains harmless against me. I sat up, holding Myoga in my hand.

"What do you know?" I asked sarcastically. "I'm less paralyzed than I thought."

"Glad to hear it," he groaned, falling over on my palm.

Then Jenkins came up in a boat that looked only too hard to operate in the sludge river. He seemed to have a hell of a time trying to get it to go straight, and what he saw awaiting him on the bank didn't look like it pleased him any further. The witch pretending to be Edward's mother had already dropped most of her charade: her face had gone blank again, and Edward was already half absorbed into her.

I crouched behind a nearby boulder, Myoga on my shoulder, and watched the proceedings quietly.

"My boy..." she cooed, pushing him harder against her, her voice breaking. "My precious boy..."

Jenkins gasped, jumping out of his boat. He ran foward, brandishing his staff like the weapon it was. "Hey!" he shrieked. "Un-Mother!"

He charged forward and smacked her right across the face with his heavy thick staff, leaving quite an indent in the flesh of her cheek.

"Still squeezin' the doomed laddie, are ye?" he snapped. "Get what we're needin' an' get it _now_! Where lie the last remains o' this cur's and Lord Peter's dear departed sire?"

"So that Jenkins thing is Peter's evil henchman?" I hissed to Myoga.

"Right," he agreed. "But keep an eye on his staff."

I nodded, sneaking closer to the small, eery group. That didn't prevent me from hearing the rest of the conversation, though.

"Edward!" the thing pretending to be Edward's mother cried sharply.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

It felt like I was sleeping underwater, with two hands clasped tightly on my chest, holding me down. Only, I wasn't resisting. Why?

I couldn't even open my eyes, let alone fight the hands.

Suddenly, Mother's voice came to me in me sleep.

"Edward!" she said sharply. "Please remember... Your father's tomb—where is it?"

"I don't know..." I mumbled, each word agonizing. Something was crushing my lungs, making every breath a sear of pain.

"You can do better than that!" she pressed urgently.

What?

Mother would never be so forceful. She'd been a kind, gentle lady. She'd never once let her urgencies show through in any aspect of her daily life: her voice, her eyes, her body language. Nothing. Was this even my mother talking to me? Could death have really changed her so much?

More hands grabbed onto me, and her voice ordered, "Show Mother the inside of your heart."

Suddenly, a vision of a black orb, similar to the sacred jewel but not, came into my mind. Mother gasped.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Black pearl..." I whispered, trying not to breathe in the painful water. "...in the right..."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"Black pearl..." Edward groaned, sounding worse than dead, "...in the right..."

"The black pearl in the right?" Jenkins repeated indignantly. "'Tis a game he's playin'! Get me more!"

"But, Master Jenkins, if I probe any deeper, this boy's spirit will shatter," the thing masquerading as a woman without a face protested sadly.

"Then shatter it!" the green imp shot back. "Or it'll be _me_ facin' Lord Peter's cold wrath..."

The "woman" nodded reluctantly, then turned her would-be face back to Edward, who sunk a few more inches into her skin. Grossest thing I've ever seen, bar none, but I couldn't dwell on that at the moment. I had bigger problems.

"There, there," she cooed. "Edward."

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"There, there," Mother's voice soothed. "Edward."

I groaned, flinching involuntarily as another wave crashed over my lungs.

"But, Mother," I groaned, "I can't breathe!"

It was as though as soon as I realized that I was able to move again. I opened my eyes, looking around wildly. It seemed I really was at the bottom of some sort of pool. Possibly the brook Mother and I had been standing beside. Once again, my eyes swept the area, looking for her or any other sign of life. There was none.

I was alone.

Till I remembered the arms gripping my torso tighter than a vice.

I turned my head slightly and looked over my shoulder. I saw a woman that looked similar to Mother in body, but with no face of her own, kneeling on the lake-side with long, long arms stretching down to me. Those were the hands holding me down.

"Huh?" I gasped aloud, ignoring the pain of the water around me. "Her face...! That means she...!"

Just as I realized what was going on, her arms grew even longer, wrapping around me tighter than ever, a million rings around my entire body with her hands clutching my throat. Now I really couldn't breathe, and I choked helplessly.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

As I crept closer, Edward's body disappeared a few more inches into the woman-thing. If I didn't act fast, he'd be sucked into her altogether.

I sprang out of my hiding place, snatching the imp's staff right out of his hand.

"Huh?" he asked stupidly, looking at his empty hand as though he thought the staff had just floated away. Then he looked up, shrieking as I planted my foot on his head and pinned him to the ground.

"You mean, stupid little toad!" I yelled, removing my foot and hitting Jenkins square in the back with his own staff, sending him flying out into the river of sludge.

After he was taken care of, I whirled around to face the creature trying to kill Edward, or whatever she was doing. She stared back at me right back for a brief second before running away, dragging what was left of Edward's body after her.

"Wait!" I shouted, running after her. "Let him go, please!"

"No!" she shrieked, still using Edward's mother's voice.

As I watched, Edward's entire head made a nose-dive right into her chest, disappearing. Disgusting if it wasn't so scary.

"Edward!" I screamed, catching a hold of his hair and yanking his head back out.

I held onto his hair for as long as I could, still chasing the creature. But of course, my clumsiness had to kick in, and I tripped over a rock or something, landing face-first in the dirt while the thing sucked Edward in until just his arm was hanging outside her body.

"Bella!" Myoga cried, suddenly appearing on my shoulder again. "You must awaken his spirit!"

"Spirit?" I shrieked, watching the thing ran about twenty feet away from me, Edward's arm hanging limply from her upper stomach.

She stopped running suddenly, and froze with her proceedings of Edward.

"Behold," Myoga said grimly, "the Un-Mother. She was created by the vengeful spirits of mothers who lost their children to famine and war. If you reawaken the spirit that's under the spell of the Un-Mother, his body will be released!"

"Well, yeah," I said helplessly. "But how in the world could I—? Ah!" I gasped.

I looked up, and the Un-Mother was already sucking in Edward's remaining arm, still cooing in his mother's voice, "I am so happy... Soon you'll be my little one again..."

"I won't make it in time!" I cried desperately.

I happened to glance down at the water in front of them, and saw a heartbreaking picture: a tiny child that looked exactly like Edward, sleeping in his mother's lap.

"That child..." I said. "Is he Edward?"

"An illusion," Myoga agreed, "but, yes, that's how it works."

"So if I erase the image, then..."

There was no time to continue my hypothesis. Edward could be finished off within seconds while I just stood around debating tactics.

I ran foward, right through the nasty water, using Jenkins' staff to splash the water around in front of me. I reached the image in seconds, and splashed it until it disappeared. The Un-Mother screamed like she was in the worst kind of pain, and Edward's body sprang forth from her chest, landing on the ground in a heap.

I fell to my knees beside him, as his eyes fluttered open. They were the darkest shade of jade I'd ever seen, and his face was murderous.

"Edward, are you ok?"

He blinked a few times in confusion, panting, and then he seemed to realize everything that had happened.

"Damn it!" he hollered. "How dare she!" He glared up at the Un-Mother, raising his voice even louder. "You pretended to be—! I fell for it! I can't believe I thought she was my—!"

Why couldn't he say the word "mother"? Did the idea of the Un-Mother pretending hurt him that badly? Then again, if someone tricked me into thinking they were _my_ mother and I found out, I'd be pretty pissed off too.

"But it wasn't really her fault," I said quickly. "It was all Peter and Jenkins' idea."

"What?" he demanded.

"Edward," a dead-calm voice called, sounding actually close to laughter. But I should have known Peter was only taunting him. He came out of the mist like an angel of death, and Edward and I both cringed in shock. I was also deathly afraid, but I didn't like admitting that.

"I know where it is now," Peter continued.

Edward whirled around angrily, screaming, _"Peter!"_

Before I could even blink, Peter was right beside us, holding Edward up in the air by his throat. Could all demons move so quickly, or was it just vampires? I wished they wouldn't. It made it extremely hard for me to catch up.

"You bastard!" Edward groaned quietly, not able to really manage anything loud considering he was being suspended by his airways. I wanted to help, but I was frozen in shock. Besides, what could I do, a human, against such a demon?

"Of all the places for him to hide it," Peter mused, smirking evilly. "Very clever... All this time, beneath our very own noses— Or, to be precise, _above_ our very own noses. _Right_ above, one might say. Hmph. That must have taken a powerful bit of magic. Father was determined to keep his final resting place a secret, which is why he chose _here_ to hide it."

Edward's hand clasped Peter's desperately, and he cried, "What are you _talking_ about? You're making no sense at all!"

"Well, then, little brother," Peter taunted, "since it was obviously done without your knowledge, how would you like to come with me and find out?"

He menacingly raised his right hand, closing his fist except for his pointer and middle fingers—which he thrust right into Edward's eye. I cringed, trying to cover my ears. Edward's pain-filled screams were worse than any other sound I'd ever heard.

Peter drew his hand back slowly, something caught between his fingers, taken out of Edward's very pupil. Some sort of black pearl. As soon as he'd caught it up in his fist, Peter dropped Edward like nothing more than worthless, used up baggage.

Edward fell to the ground, not even strong enough to hold himself up anymore. He clutched his eye, trickles of blood trailing down from under his fingers, groaning through his bared teeth like he was trying to bite back the sound altogether. Was he really so stubborn as to not want to show pain after something like _that_?

Peter stared at the black pearl thing, chuckling softly. "No wonder searching for it below ground was futile," he mused. "Seeing, yet never seen. Protected, yet never known to its protector. Our father's tomb, hidden in a black pearl deep within your eye."

Edward growled under his breath, still clutching his face. Slowly, determinedly, he lowered his hand. And then he blew up.

_"And all for _that_?!"_ he roared, pointing disgustedly at the Un-Mother, who lay on the ground several feet away. She certainly wasn't dead, because she stirred slightly, but she wasn't making any move to defend herself. _"You pretended she was my _mother_!"_ Heartbreakingly, his voice cracked on the last word.

Edward slowly stumbled to his feet, crouching into a battle stance before Peter, who smirked arrogantly.

"You're not amused?" he asked.

"No, I'm not," Edward growled quietly. Somehow, his lower voice was even more frightening than when he was yelling. Thankfully, he cut that out with his next outbust of, "You unforgivable bastard!"

As Edward jumped up to swipe at Peter, Peter sprang into the air, so fast his pale body was a blur.

Despite the speed of Edward's attack, Peter was lithely several steps out of the way, his face still amusedly smug. "I am rather busy," he informed us calmly. "If you intend to delay me any further, I shall have to kill you."

He cracked his knuckles menacingly, preparing to strike at Edward with his claws. Edward, weak and too slow for his brother, barely managed to stay standing. And I only had time to see Edward's emerald eyes widen in dread as he realized he wouldn't be able to dodge that fatal blow.

Before anyone could react, the Un-Mother flung herself in front of Edward, and Peter either wasn't fast or didn't care enough to stop. He sliced right through her midriff. Edward stared at her in pain and shock, and I could briefly understand that, seeing as she was still wearing the form of his mother. He exhaled shakily, and looked at a piece of torn cloth that had landed on his shoulder.

"The Un-Mother?" Myoga asked uncertainly.

"She protected Edward?" I seconded.

"Demon spirit or not," Myoga said finally, after a moment's pause, "she still had a mother's heart. And isn't protecting her child what a mother can't help but do?"

"My boy..." the voice of Edward's mother echoed in the air. Edward looked at her severed head in shock, as he heard it too. Peter's merciless foot came down on the head, crushing even that beyond recognition. Edward cringed forcibly, tears momentarily welling in his dark jade eyes.

Then he regained himself and glared at Peter as full of hatred as ever.

"You disgusting, murdering—" I shouted furiously. I knew I shouldn't have, but it was complete instinct. I ran forward, stopping beside Edward.

"No! Stop! Whoa!" Myoga pleaded from my shoulder as Peter shot me an exceptionally cold glance over his shoulder. "Don't antagonize him! I'll get killed, too!"

"Be quiet, coward!" I hissed at him. Peter didn't even acknowledge I'd spoken after that.

"Jenkins!" Peter said calmly, looking around over the grass. The imp appeared, clutching the staff I'd forgotten a few feet back. Oops.

"Lord Peter!" he cried, running forward. "Clever lad that I am, I've found the Staff of Two Heads again!"

Peter barely glanced at him over his shoulder before stating, as casually as though they were talking about imminent weather, "Next time you fail to protect that staff, you'll lose your own head with it."

Jenkins froze, staring up at his 'lord' in a mix of horror and... awe? What kind of sick freak was that creature?

Peter smirked and took the staff from him, looking close-up at the black pearl.

"How I have waited for this moment," he said.

Then he dropped the pearl to the ground, almost carelessly considering how he'd "waited for this moment." When it hit the ground, he raised the staff high over his head and then brought it down on the pearl hard, making it crack a little and glow a bright pink color.

The face of the old man carved on the staff began laughing, and there was something totally gross and sickening about it.

"The old man's laughin'!" Jenkins cheered. "That means the seal's a-crackin'!"

The pearl promptly split open, creating something like a large black hole next to Peter, who looked at it as though portals to other worlds were a regular occurence. I glanced at Edward to see if he was taking this as normally too, but he was staring at the black hole as shocked and frightened as I was. So Peter was just a freak, then. Could've seen that one coming.

Peter smiled and the smile was even more sinister than his deadly calm voice. I flinched away, even though he wasn't looking in our direction at all. He and Jenkins immediately walked right into the portal thing, disappearing in seconds.

"They're gone!" I said out loud.

Edward said nothing, only glaring at the spot where Peter had been as though he thought he was still there. Myoga sprang from my shoulder onto his, and shouted, "Master Edward, hurry and enter before the portal closes up!" Edward didn't move. He didn't even blink. Was he in shock? "Do you want Lord Peter to take sole possession of your father's only treasure left?"

Finally, Edward showed that he was at least listening. He turned slightly and looked at Myoga as coldly as if he were a complaining stranger.

"Let him," he said finally, in a calm voice that could rival Peter's. "What do I care about my father or his treasures?"

"But, Master!" Myoga said desperately, bouncing up and down agitatedly. "Don't say such a thing!"

Edward's eyes narrowed slightly, and he stared at the portal, as though he were planning a battle attack. I sighed. This whole conversation was taking too long. I took a few steps forward, unnoticed by either of them.

"I never said I wasn't going in there," he said, his voice getting louder. His hand found the cloth of his mother's clothes, and he squeezed it tightly for a moment, without seeming to notice. "Say your prayers, Peter..." He jumped to his feet, already pumped for the fight. "You're dead!" I heard his clothes rub against each other as he whirled around to face where he thought I was. "You stay here!" he commanded. "It's too dangerous for—"

He broke off, finally realizing I wasn't standing next to him. He looked around wildly as I shot him an irritated look over my shoulder, already halfway in the black hole.

"What do you want, an invitation?" I snapped, jumping in.

"Hey!" he shouted after me, but I didn't wait.

It was similar to being in the well that brought me here. That floating yet falling sensation of almost flying. I was so thankful there weren't words that it wasn't as scary as I'd thought it would be.

Edward caught up to me, suspended like me in midair.

"You realize Peter's there, of course?" he said irritably.

I just gave him a sarcastic look that spoke for me. "Well, duh," I said. "If we're gonna pound him, we gotta be there, too! Nobody does something like that, no matter _who_ he is!"

He stared at me for a moment, seeming to be lost in thought, until the portal somehow ended and we were falling through the sky towards a rock-covered land. I was about to scream when Edward put an arm firmly around my waist and helped me to fall onto the back of some sick-looking bird that had come to catch us.

Now that I was safe, I looked around. We were in some small place that looked like it might have been mountainous at one time but was now just covered with pointy rocks. Over about thirty feet or so from us was a huge building that looked way to fancy to be a tomb. We flew right into it, and Edward got tenser and tenser as we went.

"Here we are, Lord Edward's final resting place," Myoga said from Edward's shoulder. "The treasure sword hidden inside. _That _is what Lord Peter seeks."

"Edward?" I asked stupidly. Then I looked at the younger Edward sitting next to me. "You're named for him?"

"What else would I be named?" he snapped. "Mother worshipped the ground he walked on."

"I thought you never knew him," I mumbled.

"I didn't," he elaborated. "He died the night I was born. But Mother told me things about him. I don't remember half of them, but she told me."

* * *

**Jenkins' POV**

Finally. The stupid bird that had caught us carried us into one of the furthest rooms in the back of the building. It was completely empty except for some kind of stand against the back wall with a rusty, trashy sword stuck in its base.

I knew that was the sword Lord Peter was after so I knew it must be magnificent, but it really looked like a piece of garbage.

Lord Peter stared at it, his face as immobile as ever, but triumph radiated from him.

"I am finally here," he murmured. "Here is what I have sought. To possess the sacred sword imbedded in my father's tomb. The lethal, legendary fang sword... known to kill a hundred beasts in one stroke, Tetsusaiga!"

He slowly reached out and wrapped his hand around it expectantly.

"They say it was forged from one of your father's very own fangs," I put in eagerly. "Being in possession of this sword empowers you with as much strength as your father!"

But as soon as his hand closed around the hilt, a huge bolt of electricity shocked it into submission. His face didn't change, except his frown deepened as he examined his now-burned palm.

"It's not stuck, is it?" I asked nervously. I knew of my lord's temper when he didn't get his way.

Instead of meeting my expectations, however, Lord Peter only smirked.

"Father has done his work well," he mused. "The blade is ensorcelled."

"Peter!" came the cry of Edward, Peter's nasty, half-breed younger brother from the doorway.

Lord Peter and I both turned to see the half-breed and his stupid human standing in the doorway, both looking angry. Edward immediately charged at Peter, yelling, "We're not finished yet!"

How dare they follow us here!

Luckily, Peter could easily take Edward. As Edward came close enough to swipe, Peter sprang lithely away, and Edward fell on his face to the ground. The half-demon spawn jumped back up, though, growling as he looked hastily around.

"Damn it!" he muttered. "Now where'd he go?"

We all looked up in shock to see Peter standing on one of the rafters at the ceiling, glaring at Edward.

"Be more respectful," Peter snapped. "This is our father's resting place."

"Hypocrite!" Edward shot back impudently. "You're the one who's here trying to rob his grave! Why not really respect him and get the hell out of here?"

"Master Edward!" the annoying, knowledeable flea cried, jumping on Edward's shoulder. "Master Edward! Look behind you! Behind you!"

"Behind me?" Edward asked stupidly, turning around to face the sword. "Why?"

"That's the sword," the flea chirped. "Made from your father's fang... That's Tetsusaiga!"

"What?" Edward muttered disinterestedly, walking around the sword to examine it. "You mean _this_? What a piece of junk! 'Tessaiga—' what? It wouldn't even cut paper—_wet_!"

"Master Edward," the flea tried again, "you must draw the sword. Please!" And then it had the audacity to turn and face my lord and say, "And you, Lord Peter... You couldn't pull the sword out, could you?"

Lord Peter stared at him coldly. "Do you mean to say that Edward can?" he asked.

"Of course!" the flea laughed once. Cocky bastard. "It was always intended that Master Edward would inherit it. The fact that the tomb was entrusted to Edward is proof of that! Now hurry, Master Edward! Draw the sword out!"

The spawn stared at him blankly, still careless. Then he glanced back at the sword in confusion.

"What 'entrusted'?" he snapped. "What 'inheritance'? For all I care, he can keep the rusty piece of junk." He whirled about to point accusingly at my lord. "What I _do_ mind, though, is all the other stuff! You've insulted me once too often, Peter! Now you'll die in our father's grave!"

He lept up and swashed at the spot where Lord Peter _had _been, but of course my lord was faster than a slow half-demon.

"Now, was that aimed at me?" Lord Peter taunted from the ground.

Edward charged after him, swatting and clawing, but Lord Peter was always one step ahead of him, too fast for a half-demon.

Finally, my lord knocked Edward to the ground. Edward sprang back up, cursing under his breath, as Lord Peter landed behind him (on his feet, of course.)

"You fight as though you are still a child, Edward," Lord Peter stated matter-of-factly, as though this were just a training session.

"Master Edward!" came that annoying flea's voice again. "You can't fight unarmed! The sword! Get the sword!"

"You, shut up!" Edward snapped to the pest, not even looking at it.

The the half-demon's weak little human called to him as though even _she _were irritated with his childish tactics.

"Edward!" she said despairingly.

Edward looked around confusedly, and finally found her up in the rafters where Peter had been. At least she was smart enough to know that she had to stay out of the way of a demon fight.

"Get the dumb sword!" she snapped.

"Bella!" Edward said angrily. He started to say something else, but the girl ignored him, talking right over his voice.

"Peter couldn't pull it out, right?" she asked rhetorically. "If you can't hit him in the body, hit him in the ego! Hurt his pride!"

Edward straightened up, laughing slightly as though he were amused she came up with this.

"I get it," he agreed. He turned back to Lord Peter, grinning cockily. "All right, I'll do it. If only to see the look on your face."

Edward walked away, and my lord's face didn't change until his younger, humiliating half-brother's back was turned. Then his frown deepened, and he looked murderous.

Edward sprang lightly up to the stand, putting his hand around the hilt easily. "This is gonna be more fun than I thought," he murmured.

How could he touch it?!

"Nay!" I gasped out loud. "Edward is immune to the spell which thwarted Lord Peter!"

The flea on Edward's shoulder crowed, "I knew it! The Fang is destined to become Master Edward's!"

Edward struggled to pull it out, but even though the spell didn't shock him the way it had Lord Peter, he couldn't pull it out. Just as I'd always thought. Half-demons were too weak to be of any use at all. The spot where the sword was stuck into the stand started to glow, but soon even that faded and Edward was left looking like the fool he was, with the sword still planted firmly in its stand.

The girl's face fell in confusion and horror. "W-_What_?"

Edward stared at the sword, as shocked as she was. Then he straightened up, his cheeks slightly pink with embarrassment, but his expression angry. "Hey..." he muttered in a deadly calm voice to the flea that could rival my lord's. "I couldn't pull the sword out, could I?"

"Thank you for that amusing interlude," Lord Peter said flatly. "Are you done? I am."

He ran forward so fast he was a blur, but somehow Edward managed to dodge in time to get away from the attack. They made a sort of deadly dance around the room, moving too quickly for the rest of us to see, but it was easy to tell that Edward was losing.

Lord Peter actually got Edward pinned up to the wall finally, and flexed his fingers threateningly. "Allow my poison claws to end this," he said menacingly.

His hand started to emit a frightening green colored smoke and he drove it right at Edward's chest. Damn the half-breed, he dodged in time! My lord's claws ended up melting the wall away at a section, and the toxic gas started spreading through the room.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Damn it! I couldn't move fast enough!

As soon as Peter's annoying claws were stuck in the wall for a short second or two, I ran as fast as I could to the other end of the room, just trying to get away from him for a second. In an instant, Peter had flitted to my side.

"Running?" he asked rhetorically, too low for the others to hear. I tried to punch him away from me, but once again, he moved too fast.

I finally landed on the ground while he jumped up to the stupid rafters again, and he started throwing his poison whip thing at me again and again. I tried to block it off, but it kept hitting my arms and legs. It eventually got me in the chest, and I flew backwards, landing roughly on my back. It was getting hard to ignore the pain now.

I heard the nasty imp demon laughing evilly and glanced over to see him swinging his staff at me. "I'll grant m'lord a little help," he smirked.

Before either of us could react, Bella jumped out of her safe spot and landed right on the toad, crushing him to the ground. For a moment, I almost felt a bizarre surge of pride, but then I was just angry. Why couldn't she stay safely hidden away, instead of trying to be in the center of the fight?

She jumped off him, and he sprang up, brandishing his staff at her. What could she do, a weak human? The toad was small and weak to other demons, but to humans even he had some strength.

"You coward," Bella taunted him. Idiot!

"What?!" the demon shrieked. He put all his force behind it and swung the staff down at her head. Instinctively, I went to help her, but Peter was holding me back with his stupid fights. I dodged another of his whips and Bella caught the staff surprisingly. She'd struck me as too clumsy to catch anything.

But even if she caught it a hundred times, she wouldn't fend him off for long. Demons trumped humans any day.

"You stinking toad," she taunted anyway, her voice a little strained.

"You stinking human witch!" he shot back.

"This human's gonna kick your—" she started hotly, but the toad gained too many inches and sent her flying back into the wall.

"I shan't lose to you this time!" he shouted. This time? Bella had challenged the imp before? Was she really that dumb? She didn't even have any weapons!

I dodged another of Peter's whips, trying to run over to Bella. "Bella—Ungh!"

Peter took advantage of my distraction and punched me in the throat, pinning me to the wall.

"What's the matter?" the toad taunted. "Is that all you got?"

Bella stumbled to her feet, reaching up to use the sword for balance. Lord only knew she needed it.

"Not even started," she muttered, suppressing a groan.

She gasped, looking over to see Peter pinning me to the ground by my throat and waving his claws menacingly.

"The time has come," Peter murmured. "Die."

Bella started toward us, but what could she do? As she ran, she accidentally tugged on the sword. As I watched, the sword sprang free of its hold as easily as if she were the strongest person in the world. She stopped, freezing, and stared at it in horror.

Peter froze above me, his hand instinctively curling into an angry fist. He slowly turned around and I looked back too. There Bella stood, staring uncertainly at the fang sword thing that was now in her hands.

She looked over at the two of us, scared and shocked. "Sorry..." she said uncertainly. "It just came out..."

Everyone in the room, I think, was in shock at that point. The toad was gawking at her like she had randomly expressed a desire to tapdance, Peter was watching her calculatingly, and I was staring in between the two, nervous and wary of his attention on her.

As usual, Bella blushed. "Sorry..." she said again.

* * *

**So why could Bella pull the sword out, but not two of the world's strongest demons? Isn't _that_ a little weird?**

**Review, please!**


	8. Showdown! Edward vs Peter!

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stepenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**So here's the showdown! Oh! I forgot to mention all this time: THERE WILL BE CHARACTER DEATHS! I'm not saying **_**who**_**, but there will be some. **

**Anyway, so I thought this chapter was really special because it gives you a peek at the other side of Edward. Remember, even when Edward loses his temper, he's always aware of what he's saying and doing. No one in this story yet has seen any part of him that he hasn't **_**wanted**_** them to see. So why the big difference between sweet, innocent, childlike Edward, and big, tough-guy, get-out-of-my-face Edward? This chapter explains it all! (WARNING: Edward's memory and story here is very sad. He gets very emotional in this chapter: furious, concerned, scared, dejected, sad, furious, victorious... Better get the tissues ready! Jk haha)**

* * *

_Last Time_

Bella started toward us, but what could she do? As she ran, she accidentally tugged on the sword. As I watched, the sword sprang free of its hold as easily as if she were the strongest person in the world. She stopped, freezing, and stared at it in horror.

Peter froze above me, his hand instinctively curling into an angry fist. He slowly turned around and I looked back too. There Bella stood, staring uncertainly at the fang sword thing that was now in her hands.

She looked over at the two of us, scared and shocked. "Sorry..." she said uncertainly. "It just came out..."

Everyone in the room, I think, was in shock at that point. The toad was gawking at her like she had randomly expressed a desire to tapdance, Peter was watching her calculatingly, and I was staring in between the two, nervous and wary of his attention on her.

As usual, Bella blushed. "Sorry..." she said again.

* * *

Showdown! Edward vs. Peter!

**Edward's POV**

The ugly toad thing was still gawking at Bella, and finally he seemed to have regained the power of speech.

"'Tisn't... 'Tisn't _true_!" he squawked. "If the great Lord Peter couldn't... if the flea-bitten Edward couldn't... how in the hell could _she_ do it?!"

Peter tensed, as though he were getting ready to flit to Bella. That had to be my moment then. I flexed my hand, getting ready to claw at him.

"Don't look at her," I commanded, "look at me!"

Typical. Peter was still too fast for me. Why was I suddenly so slow? To every other demon I'd faced, I was either just fast enough or way too fast. And now I can't hit at all.

But this time was different. When Peter flitted away too fast for even me to see, I couldn't find where he went. I looked around wildly, but I didn't see him anywhere. Finally, with a sick cold feeling in my gut, I looked at Bella and saw Peter standing not one foot in front of her. Bella flinched away a second after I realized where he was, so it must have been way too fast for her, as well.

"What _are_ you?" Peter demanded calmly. "Why were you able to draw the sword?" He paused, and glanced at the blade and then coldly back at her.

I knew that look.

I tensed, getting ready to attack. But a voice from my shoulder blew my concentration for the moment.

"Whew," the tiny voice sighed in relief. Myoga. "Looks like you're lord brother's lost interest in you... Lucky for us, eh, Master?"

"Shut up, fool!" I snapped. He gasped in surprise and fell of my shoulder. All the better. I couldn't afford a distraction when the problem was so close to the girl. "Peter!" I shouted. "Leave her alone! She's got nothing to do with you!"

Neither of them acknowledged that I'd even spoken. Bella, her shoulders hunched helplessly, drew the sword to a fighting stance and warned shakily, "One step closer and I'll kill you!"

Peter turned carelessly back to me, as though I was waiting for an explanation of what Bella was.

"Alas, I'm afraid she does," he finally said. "For some unknown reason, neither you nor I could draw out the Fang. Yet she had no trouble against the spell. You expect me to let her go? It's obvious that she must die."

"You're right," I said quickly. "It _is_ weird that the spell had no effect on her. But she's only a human girl!" Apparently my pleas for sympathy weren't working. Peter's eyes were only hardening. I turned desperately to Bella. "Bella," I shouted, more sharply than I'd intended. "Give him the sword! There's no other choice."

"No!" she called back, not taking her dark brown eyes off Peter. "Why does he automatically get to keep it? If he couldn't pull it out, that means he's not supposed to have it." She hunched her shoulders a little more, tightening her grip on the sword in its would-be threatening stance. "I _will not _give it to him!"

I almost wanted to hit _her,_ if it would knock some sense in to her. But I knew it wouldn't, and that would only hurt us both. So I clenched my fists and shot back, "Don't be stupid! You're only a human so back off, shut up, and butt out!"

"Butt ou—?" she repeated indignantly. Then she swung the sword down like an axe so that she was pointing at me accusingly with it. It seemed to escape her notice that she pointed the sword right in front of Peter's chest. "What do you know? You're just a—"

"Hmm," Peter said softly, closing his eyes and smirking. Bella immediately shut up and clutched the sword to her chest again, staring at him with large, frightened eyes. "Edward," he said, shaking his head once. "Your patience with this creature is astonishing to me." I blinked. Patience? No human had ever made me feel more _im_patient. "You protect her... indulge her... even seem to love her."

I couldn't move. "Uh..." I stammered, my cheeks flushing involuntarily. Thank goodness the both of them were across the room so they couldn't see that. I didn't love that human. How could I love an annoying young girl I just met?

Peter took a few casual steps forward, and Bella visibly relaxed.

"Certainly these feelings of mercy of yours are not something I inherited from our great and terrible father. It was this feeling for a mortal woman, your _mother_... this weakness of heart... that caused our father to end up here, like this."

I froze. My father died because of Mother? How? She'd have done anything to protect him. Well, I suppose it fit that he died the night I was born, for her...

"Her tainted blood affects you, as well," Peter continued, breaking me out of my reverie. "Is it this blood that so endears you to humans?" He paused, glancing over his shoulder once to Bella before turning back to me, the most annoying smirk on his face. "When it comes to such infinitely vulgar beings, I, of course, bear no such weakness."

He raised out his right arm and then turned around to turn it on Bella, and I ran forward as fast as I could, but I knew even then that I wouldn't make it. She strained against the poison gas blowing at her, calling my name once. Before the sludge melted her body, she stuck the sword out in front of her for whatever protection it would give—none, of course.

"BELLA!"

Even while I tried to get there in time, she was melted, nothing left under the sludge but the stupid, worthless, murderous sword. Regardless, driven by some unknown instinct, I let myself fall to my knees and try to push my hand into the mess, trying to find her. Nothing was there, except a good burning for my hand. I pulled my hand out with a hiss.

Peter lowered his hand, but didn't turn to me as he spoke. "How dull. She was only a mortal girl, after all."

Something was wrong. I felt power coursing through my veins, enough energy to let me run around the world twice (or so it felt). My vision blurred. I was seeing red. This was the second time I'd had to watch an innocent woman die. The second time it was my fault.

"Peter," I growled, crouching into a better position to attack from.

He sighed as though I had made no interruption. "I grow bored with this. It's over."

I didn't even wait for another comment, one he looked certain to make. I lunged forward as soon as he turned to face me, nearly flying over the floor of the room.

DAMN IT! My attack missed by mere seconds. I was getting faster, but I wasn't fast enough. Suddenly, everything about this fight was animalistic to me. I wasn't bent on making him pay for what he'd done to me, I was just bent on revenge. He had to die. Now.

But before I could react, he pulled me by my shirt right up in his face. My hands were bound by his, and I couldn't move. I only glared, waiting for him to throw me like I knew he would.

"How can you think, with your dirty blood, that you are my equal?" he sneered.

And then he threw me like I'd predicted. I just hadn't seen him throwing me so far. I was literally thrown across the other expanse of the room, slamming into the opposite wall a good fifty feet away. I groaned, falling to the floor. I tried to get up, but I was suddenly weak, my rage leaving me helpless and clumsy.

I sat up, growling instinctively, when I noticed his whip flying at me. I immediately shieled myself with my shirt, but he kept coming again and again.

"You forget your station... _worthless half-breed!" _Peter addressed me.

I was so enraged at that point that I didn't have time to react when his whip hit my chest, sending me back into the wall. I fell to the ground yet again, groaning in pain though I tried to hide it. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"A half-breed, am I?" I asked, though it was more to myself than to him.

His whip came down on me again, as that memory the creature pretending to be Mother had resurrected. Only this time, I remembered everything: _why_ I had been chasing the ball, _why_ I had been running at all, _why_ I ran to my mother so helplessly.

_FLASH! Men and women, gathered in the town square. FLASH! The women watch from the shelter of their porches, while the men play a gentle game of kickball in a circle outside. FLASH! Me, not five years old, running into the middle of the circle to play, too. FLASH! I stand next to the man holding the ball, but he ignores me, tossing it to another man. FLASH! I run after the ball, stopping in front of a man and waving my arms like "Monkey in the Middle." FLASH! The men and women all laugh at me, and the one holding the ball throws it over his shoulder, across a bridge. FLASH! I chase after the ball, eager to get back and play with them. FLASH! As I bend down to retrieve it, I turn around and see all the women quickly entering their houses, and the leaving the town square_—_eager to be away from me. FLASH! I start after them uncertainly, not sure if they want to take the game somewhere else or ! Everyone goes away, and I catch one word of conversation before no one else is visible to me. FLASH! "Half-breed?" I ask out loud, never having heard that word before. FLASH! I stand by myself for a moment, wondering what a half-breed is and why the man said it like a bad thing, when I hear a sound of movement to my right. FLASH! I glance over to see Mother standing at the furthest edge of our garden by the brook, watching me with a small smile on her face. FLASH! Knowing that if anyone would make me feel better it was her, I drop the ball and run to her as fast as my little legs could carry me. FLASH! I bury my face in her skirts, clutching them tightly as she wraps her arms around my back. FLASH! I lean away from her slightly, still holding her skirts, and look up into her sad but calm face. FLASH! "Mother, what is a... half-breed?" I ask uncertainly, the word still foreign to me. FLASH! Mother stared down at me before bowing her head, tears running down her cheeks. FLASH! Mother leans down and hugs me tighter. I stroke her hair, trying to soothe her as best I can while she cries. The thought of half-breeds left my mind, as all I could think was, "What's wrong with Mother?" FLASH, FLASH, FLASH!_

_That's right,_ I thought grimly as Peter's whip continued to thrash me. _I remember. Mother... she was... crying. Crying for me. She knew what it meant_—_what my life would be like._

I straightened up slightly, laying my hand on the wall for support. As I cleared my throat, I glanced up to find myself face-to-face with the place Bella had just died. How sad for an innocent human girl to be killed for no reason other than a love of killing. She hadn't even done anything wrong, let alone anything worth being killed over.

It was as though her death put everything into place for me.

"It doesn't matter if a person is human or demon," I said to Peter. "But when you play with my mother's memories, that's when I get angry." I shot a glance over at Peter's calm facade. That more than anything infuriated me to the boiling point. "For her sake, then, if nothing else. I'm gonna make you pay!"

I lunged at him, using the wall as a sort of springboard. It seemed my fury added to my speed and power, because Peter could only stand, shocked, as I stuck his chest once. Then he jumped out of the way, a second too late. Damn. If he wasn't a vampire with super-strong skin that would have really done something.

He jumped up into the air, and I watched him with an almost frightening calculation.

"That was for Mother," I informed him, crouching into a position ready to pounce. "And this... _this is for Bella!_"

I lunged again, striking him squarely in the chest again. This time, the sound of my nails on his stone-like chest made a terrible grating sound, and a large chunk of him fell off. Was that how to kill a vampire, then? Cut them to pieces? All right! I could do that!

"Wh-WHAT?" Peter's ugly little toad shrieked from the ground while Peter and I fought it out in the rafters. "An eyeblink ago, he could scarce get in spittin' distance!"

Peter looked at the hole in his chest and smirked back at me. "Why so angry, Edward? There are a million more where she came from. You act in the heat of passion and rush to your death... You are truly a pitiful fellow. Well, if I'd known that's what it took to make you fight, I'd have killed her sooner."

I froze, seeing red again. "I'm gonna rip you to pieces, Peter!" I growled. "By the time I'm through, you're gonna wish it was _you_ who was dead. For Bella, then, who died a senseless death at your hands!"

Just as I was getting ready to pounce and rip him apart, a loud tearing and sucking noise behind me made us both freeze. It sounded like something being born—or worse. I whirled around to see Bella push herself up out of the sludge, shaking out her long hair like she had come back from some kind of pleasure trip.

"Phew!" she said, relieved. "I thought I was a goner."

Peter and I both stared at her, mouths open.

_How could she still be alive?_

She didn't seem to see me at first, but jumped to her feet, panting. She pointed the rusty blade viciously at Peter, who didn't move. He didn't even close his mouth.

"Hey, you!" she screamed. "You actually tried to kill me!" She took a few steps over, not taking her eyes off him, and stopped at my side. "Don't go thinking you're gonna get away with that!" she went on. "Get ready!" She smiled at me as sweetly as if this was all some silly frivolous outing and handed me the sword. "Here!" she said eagerly. "I think we underestimated it. Don't let me down!"

I could only stare at her, holding the sword like it was my only lifeline. "Hey, uh, how come you're still alive?" I asked stupidly.

Luckily, she didn't seem to think my question was stupid. She looked confusedly at her body, as though checking a mental inventory, and then shrugged, making a confused noise.

Peter took a step forward, looking almost interested. "I see..." he murmured. "The sword protected you."

"Amazing!" Myoga chirped from my shoulder, suddenly reappearing now that he thought it was relatively safe. "The Fang protected the girl from Lord Peter's poisonous claws! It had to have been that, or she really would have died! Quickly, Master Edward! Try the Fang out on Lord Peter himself!"

"Big words," Peter sneered, "for such small vermin."

I felt Bella cringe behind me, grabbing onto my shirt, but I was too focused. Peter was up to something, that much was obvious.

"Let's see if a half-demon can even wield Tetsusaiga, the Great Fang," Peter said, smirking like he didn't think it was possible. "I myself shall bear witness!"

Suddenly, Peter sprang off the ground and into the air, twirling a few times. A light started shining from him, brighter and brighter. When I finally blinked, he was standing before us on the ground.

Only it wasn't him.

It was an enormous, pitch-black dog with fangs the length of the rusty blade I held and bloodred eyes.

Bella's nails dug into my shoulder as she gripped harder. "He transformed!" she squeaked.

"Good," I said under my breath. "'Cause now we know his gift: transformation."

I crouched down, smirking a little as I looked at the nasty "Fang" in my hands. I even might have laughed. The whole situation was ironic to me. A nomadic, lone vampire's special gift was his most prized possession—if he had one. Peter, being that nomadic, lone vampire, should never have shown me his gift at any costs. Now, if I were so inclined, I could find him anywhere by the continous red of his eyes. I couldn't believe he'd staked such a risk, all for a rusty piece of junk blade. Could such a blade really have such awesome powers?

I threw my right arm out, with the sword in my palm, and started backing up, silently telling Bella behind me to back up as well. She obeyed without a sound.

I sized up Peter then, realizing I didn't want to have to see Bella die again. It was almost as painful as the day when I'd learned Tanya was dead. And not being a masochist, I wanted to prevent that, thank you very much.

"Bella!" I said sharply, without taking my eyes off Peter's dog form. "You go hide till its over."

"Ok, sure," she said quickly, eager to please and frightened. "But where?"

I felt her presence leave my back so I didn't answer. I kicked off the ground and towards Peter's snout, brandishing the sword.

"Ok, Fang!" I shouted, feeling like a total idiot. Who addresses inanimate objects? "Time to show me your true power!"

As I came down on his head, Peter raised and bit at me, and I lunged out of the way, slamming the sword into his back. It bounced off and I fell to the ground while Peter kept jumping towards Bella, who screamed painfully.

"Didn't even make a scratch!" I said out loud. What good was a blade that couldn't even bruise?

I looked up to see Peter's clawed forepaws suddenly coming down on me. I jumped out of the way in the nick of time, but only just. As his jaws sank into the ground where he'd missed me, green gas started melting away the floor and seeping around the room like a sick, dirty fog.

I turned angrily to Myoga, who was still (surprisingly) on my shoulder. "Hey, Myoga! What's going on? This sword can't even bruise, let alone cut!"

"Err... well, Master Edward..." he hesitated, fixing the bag that usually hung around his neck full of his possessions. "That sword is your father's heirloom. You must believe in its power. And by no means must you release it! Now, then, if you'll excuse me..."

He promptly jumped off my shoulder and scurried away, while I stumblingly tried to call him back.

"And don't let that Peter push you around!" he called, completely ignoring me.

Coward.

I sighed in annoyance and looked back at Peter's nasty dog-wolf form thing, and saw him slobbering all over the ground. Oh, _rank_!

That was when I realized the gas coming off the melted objects from Peter's saliva wasn't just gas. It was poison gas—a miasma.

I gasped, shouting towards Bella, who was over on the far side of the room at the wall. "Bella! It's a miasma, don't breathe it in! Get up off the ground, quick!"

"What do you suggest?" she shouted back, nervous but sarcastic at the same time, looking around. It was true, there wasn't much possibility for a human there.

"Just climb _up_!" I said.

Peter's dog form self shook his head at me, and I could just hear his stupid dead-calm voice saying, "I think not."

Then he pounced at me. Compared to his monstrous size, I felt like worse than a flea. I was the most miniscule of things next to him.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Sure, "up" wasn't a problem in normal conditions, if you had a ladder or something. But in the middle of an empty room? I didn't stand much chance.

I found some curtains hanging by a window, though, and started using them as a rope. I was about five feet off the ground when I saw Peter's ugly dog transformation self thing lunged at Edward, nearly flattening him to the ground. The sight froze me in my place, and I had to bite back from screaming.

Suddenly Myoga whizzed up the curtain-rope next to me, shouting at me while he paused.

"You can't worry about him now, just climb! Even a demon can't stay in those fumes for long!"

Really?

I glanced over and saw that nasty toad demon, Jenkins or whatever, scaling the wall as fast as he could, spluttering and screaming at the smoke that was gathering below him.

"What about Edward?" I asked Myoga nervously. I couldn't just leave him!

Then I noticed Myoga was no longer next to me, but nearly in the rafters. Traitorous coward.

"Hey!" I called up to him. He reluctantly paused. "What about Edward? Will he be ok?"

He shrugged letting go of the curtain-rope for a brief second. "I wonder?" he said. With that, he lost his balance like I might have and fell to the floor again. He shot back up almost quicker than I could see, stopping next to me again. "Forget the heroics and climb for your life!" he squealed. "Just leave things to Master Edward for now! We must concentrate on escaping!"

I looked down, preparing to warn Edward of what we were doing—I could at least do that, right?—but as I did I noticed I was waist-deep in the gas. I'd probably been breathing it this entire time. I cried out involuntarily and climbed the curtain-rope so fast I was even clumsier than normal.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Peter slammed me back into the melting wall, and I tried to brace myself on it only to find myself sliding. I let my hand drop and started coughing horribly. The poisonous gas was well above my head at that point, and I was starting to have trouble with all my senses. Seemed like even I couldn't stay down there.

I leaped into the air, aiming for the rafters, but my vision suddenly went so blurry and opaque that I couldn't see the beams of wood anymore. I ended landing outside on the roof. How, I don't know.

I couldn't stand, though, the gas having sapped most of my energy. I collapsed on the ground, coughing. I heard Peter coming after me and tried to move, but my arms and legs were going numb.

While I focused on trying to move, Peter crept up behind me. I'd love to say I knew he was there all along, but in truth I was totally unaware. He caught me up in his fanged, huge mouth, my torso still hanging out while the rest of me was pinned inside. It didn't break my skin, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch. He pulled us both down right back into the miasma.

I tried not to scream in pain, but that was really a lost cause.

Peter's red eyes glanced down at me, and he clenched his teeth tighter, jerking his head back and forth. He was trying to rip me apart. So that _was_ the way to kill a vampire, then.

As he jerked me around and I tried (and failed) to not scream, I looked down at the blade I still held. Even a mosquito with wooden teeth must bite harder than it.

Without thinking, I took the sword and stabbed Peter right in the left eye. It didn't do any real damage, but enough for him to shake around in pain and jump outside toward the roof.

The roof of the building was a strange place: kind of an oasis in the desert. There were arches and blank expanses and a few chairs a bit away. There were plants everywhere and a gazebo nearby. By that time, Peter had dropped me out of his mouth and was trying to shake me away, but I wasn't going to fall down to the ground and be splattered, thank you. I held on as tight as I could to his hair.

I distinctly heard someone's footsteps running near and then Bella's distressed voice yell my name in concern. When I was sure I could handle the fall, I let go of Peter's hair and turned in the air, falling on my feet easily, the worthless sword still in my hands. I stood crouched, ready to attack, as did Peter, several hundred feet in front of me.

I heard a rustle of leaves and branches as Myoga popped out of a bush in front of Bella.

"Master Edward," he said gleefully, "_now_ do you see the power of the Fang? Now for the finishing blow!"

"Where've you been?" I demanded, whipping my head around to glare at him. "This sword's about as useless as a walking stick!"

"Are you saying this isn't the treasured sword of your father?" Myoga asked confusedly.

He crossed his arms in thought for a moment, and then collapsed through the bush, sprinting off in the distance as fast as he could while Bella cried out indignantly. At least she was on my side about the whole coward thing.

"He left!" Bella said in disbelief.

"Why am I not surprised?" I asked sarcastically. I glared at the wasted space in my palm that was the sword. "In the meantime, what am I going to do with this thing?"

Peter didn't wait to give me an answer before pouncing at me, his paw slamming into the ground where I had been moments before. I barely escaped a second and third pounce, and then hit his paw at a fourth one.

"That's it, Edward!" Bella said enthusiastically from a little behind me and to my left. "You can do it! I think the first blow actually worked!"

"Are you joking?" I shot back. "It didn't do a thing!"

She paused for a second, looking confused, before returning to her chipper self. How could someone be so confident and cheerful in the middle of a battle their only hope at survival was losing?

"But the sword's _yours_ now," she said brightly. "You've just gotta do like Myoga said: have faith in it. Like I have faith in you!"

While she spoke, Peter busied himself with whining in pain and licking the paw Bella had said I'd hurt, but also the one I'd thought I'd done nothing to. Apparently she was right. I backed a few steps, standing next to her.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Will you stop talking such rubbish?" I brandished the sword for her to see all its nicks and rust. "This thing's good for nothing! Me, I'll live, I'm a half-demon." I rolled my eyes and turned back to Peter, muttering, "You, though—you don't have a chance."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and when she finally did speak again, her voice was quiet and almost broken. "So I should just... give up hope?" she asked dejectedly.

I whirled around, shocked at the change in her tone. Her appearance shocked me even more: her large brown eyes were filling with tears, and she looked more sad than I'd ever seen her before. Instantly, I was ashamed.

"Hey..." I tried, but she covered her face and actually started crying. Oh, God. Now what was I supposed to do? I'd never dealt with crying humans before! "Did I... Did I make you _cry_? Stop that now!"

She lowered her hands and glared up at me, tears still in her eyes. "Oh, should I _laugh_?!" she demanded harshly.

"No!" I shouted unintentionally—what was it about this girl that made me so... emotional? Furious, concerned, ashamed, furious again... It never ended! "I'm saying you should _shut up_ and let me protect you!"

She gasped a little, staring at me like I'd grown another head. Was I really that weird to her?

Peter decided to take that moment to get ready to attack again, and he crouched down in front of me.

I spoke to Bella over my shoulder. "Just stay there and watch."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I stared in shock at Edward as he calmly walked back out to face Peter, armed only with a rusty blade that wouldn't even leave a lump. Peter growled ferociously at him, but Edward only waved his hand and said sarcastically, "Yeah, yeah. 'Roar, roar,' to you too, buddy."

I didn't hear him wrong, did I?

_Did he just say he'd protect me?_

I couldn't help but think, _In some ways, Edward is like his brother. So thoughtless of others. But in others, he's totally different. _

"Let's get this over with," Edward said, whipping the sword into a fighting stance.

Then he froze, staring at his hand in horror and almost... fear?

He pulled the sword up to his face, looking at it in wonder. "The Fang is pulsing!" he muttered to himself, but I still heard.

Pulsing? What the heck did that mean? It was _alive_?!

"Get him, Lord Peter!"

At the sound, I spun around, coming face-to-back with the little nasty Jenkins. He was raising his hands in fists and cheering on Peter like the worst cheerleader ever. "Get that little half-breed and bite his head off! Devour him!"

Ugh, DISGUSTING!

I picked up the nearest large rocks around me and started throwing them at the demon, hitting him square in the head. That was a first. But I kept throwing more and more, and he whirled around indignantly. "He hasn't lost yet!" I shouted. "Let's see who beats who!"

My head snapped back up instinctively as Peter leaped into the air, gaining momentum as he crashed back down straight at Edward. Edward himself didn't move, but glared up at Peter calmly from the same spot. Why wasn't he even trying to dodge?!

"Now!" he shouted to himself, jumping into the air as well, the Fang held at the ready.

But it suddenly wasn't the Fang.

It was an enormous sword now, almost as large as Edward was, and it looked brand-new: shiny and powerful. Edward dragged the sword up Peter's left leg, and then cut the whole thing off.

When Edward landed again on the ground, he stared at the sword like a kid looking at a toystore. Peter's red eyes narrowed in hatred and revulsion as he recognized the sword giving Edward its complete strength. Take that, loser!

Edward laughed slightly, looking back at Peter. "So it _is _a fang," he said, and that was what brought the actual shape of the blade to my attention. It was true, the sword wasn't straight like it had been. It was now nearly three times as wide, a lot longer, but it was _curved_—just like a real fang.

"So the old man really did leave me something worthwhile," Edward went on, breaking me out of my reverie. "So here we are. Two brothers, fighting over our father's sword... But compared to his magnificence, you and me are nothing! He was a great demon that ruled the western region. What have we got to say for ourselves? Don't you get it? We're battling it out now, _in his grave_! We're nowhere near his equal."

Peter seemed to get more angry with every word Edward used to mean that Peter wasn't that strong, either. Apparently that was Peter's weakness: his pride. I'd been right, after all.

"So maybe I don't have any memories of him ever loving me," Edward continued. "But it was _me_ he chose to hide his grave in, hide his treasure in. I'd rather give up an eye than give up his sword." Suddenly, he was shouting, and his voice was almost pained. "_Maybe I'm not so worthless, then, am I?!_"

Peter flung himself at Edward, but Edward was ready for him. He sliced the sword right across Peter's chest. Not hard enough to kill him, but enough to wound him. Then Peter just fell backwards, towards the sharp rocks at the floor. Just before he hit the ground, though, he transformed back into his vampire self and ran away. Without his left arm.

"Lord Peter!" Jenkins sobbed, watching him go. "Don't leave me!"

He took off running after him, while I ran to Edward's side. Edward kneeled on the ground, panting after his exertions. He planted the sword in the ground and stared at it excitedly. He laughed a little.

"I take it back," he said. To me, or the sword, or to himself? "The sword's really not such a piece of junk."

Suddenly, Myoga jumped onto Edward's shoulder, and piped in conceitedly, "You see? I was right. Of course, if you had listened to me earlier, you'd never have—"

Edward shot me a dispairing look, and I tried not to laugh as Edward went to smoosh Myoga with his finger. "Wait!" Myoga pleaded. He pointed to something standing nearby. They were the creepy birds that had flown us into the tomb building thing. "Look over there! See? I wasn't _running away_, I was simply finding transportation back home for us." His voice turned wheedling. "You believe me, don't you?"

"Oh, so you didn't run away?" Edward asked, standing up.

Myoga looked up at him guiltily while Edward smiled the brightest I'd seen him smile yet. He seemed geniunely happy.

"Well, when you ask me so nicely..." Myoga started, his guilt seeping into his tone. "I'm sorry! I thought you had no chance in a hundred against Lord Peter... and I ran away. I underestimated you, Master Edward. I am so terribly ashamed of myself."

"Myoga..." Edward said, still smiling happily. Then his face relaxed into the look of fury that I was becoming familiar with. Then he squashed Myoga between his fingers and let him fall, and Myoga collapsed on the ground, groaning. Well, he deserved it.

When the portal finally started to open its door, Edward grabbed my waist protectively, as though he were afraid I somehow could hurt myself. Which was probably the case. His face didn't change at all, though, so I knew it wasn't like it was some romantic notion. It was suddenly in his instincts to look out for me, I guess.

When we landed on the ground, he dropped his hand and looked up at the black hole thing in the sky that we had just come out of. The portal collapsed on itself to make the black pearl again, which fell right into Edward's uplifted eye. He groaned a little in discomfort, blinking a few times.

"How are you doing, Edward?" I asked nervously when he didn't speak.

He gave me a crooked smile. "Actually, I feel pretty ok." He rubbed his eye without seeming to think about. "Everything's back to normal and at least now I know the old man can rest in peace."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Later that afternoon, Edward and I returned to Irina's village. I sat in her hut, while Edward promptly went off to his tree. While I tried to explain the story to her, I found myself leaving lots of gaps because I didn't know enough.

"But how were ye able to wield such a blade? I must say, ye have some strange powers. Ye continue to surprise me."

Myoga, sitting unnoticed on the opposite side of the fire, piped up, "I think it's because Bella is a mortal. Don't forget: the Great Fang was originally forged as a way for Edward's father to protect his beloved, Edward's human mother. It is a supernatural sword that can only be wielded by one who feels love or protectiveness for humans. It was those feelings that made Edward able to wield the sword effectively."

_No! I'm saying you should _shut up _and let me protect you!_

"You're right," I whispered, shocked. "That's when the sword reacted."

"There was just no way someone like Peter, who despises humans, could control the Fang," Myoga agreed, nodding.

"'Tis a strange tale," Irina said finally. "To Edward, his half-human heritage is a weakness, a curse. That's why he didn't want us to talk of his mother—he didn't want to feel anything for her. His memories of her have been tinged with shame. And yet, those same feelings are what make Edward different. That is why is father chose him for his final resting place. _That_ is what Edward's father wanted to teach him. Perhaps the one who most resembles the father is not Peter, but Edward."

This serious discussion was getting to be too much for me. I wanted to go outside and bait Edward a bit, just to see if I could still get him going.

When I walked outside, Edward was swinging the rusty blade again, trying to hit the tree as a catalyst to making it transform. He sighed impatiently. "I spoke too soon," he muttered out loud. "Now it's back to being a useless, old sword."

I knew he heard me coming, but he wasn't making any move to start a conversation. So I called up, "Edward!"

He reluctantly turned to face me, his face still irritated at the sword. "What?"

"Do you want me to tell you the secret to controlling the Fang?" I asked, purposefully sweet.

He immediately leaped out of the tree, landing on his feet just in front of me. The motion was too fast for me to catch, of course, but I eventually caught up.

"Talk," he commanded flatly.

"Only if you promise to keep protecting me with it, ok?"

Edward stared at me like I'd grown another head. "Huh?" he asked nervously after a minute. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked at me like he really questioned my sanity. "'To keep...'? What's all this stupidity coming out of your mouth?" He rapped the backs of his knuckles on my forehead. "Did something get knocked loose in there?"

"But _you_ said I should let you protect me!" I shouted indignantly.

He fell back a step frightenedly before snapping, "I didn't mean it like _that_! One day, I'm gonna become a full demon! And with this sword I'll be able to gather all the shards of the jewel." He started to walk away from me, toward the bridge. "Do you think I want to waste it protecting a mortal like _you_?"

I was too angry for words. Luckily, I had a way of making my point known without any conjuring of words.

"Sit!" I cried.

He let out a strangled cry as he collapsed face-first into the dirt. I stomped off, muttering fiercely, "I can't believe I was actually starting to think you had a _good_ side!"

"What'd you do that for?" he called to me as I stalked away. His voice echoed after me calling, "Wait! Where are you going? Come back here! You said you'd tell me how to use the sword!"

* * *

**So Edward's back to being a clueless jerk. Don't worry, he'll have more "nice" moments later. Anyway, tell me what you thought in a review! **

**And here's a sneak peek at next time:**

**(Bella's POV)**

_Seriously injured, Peter makes his escape. He's down, but he's not out. Plus, his left arm is still inside their father's tomb. Edward takes possession of the Great Fang, a sword forged by his father to protect his human mother. We set out in search of pieces of the Sacred Jewel. We come to a town where young women are kidnapped and taken to a mysterious castle, and meet a young warrior determined to save the princess. Next time: "The Toad Who Would Be Prince." _

**Don't forget to review!**


	9. The Toad Who Would Be Prince

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**So! Here's the next chappy, kind of ok and yet just ok. I never really liked this one much. Anyway, characters that we're familiar with are going to start springing up soon! (For instance, Seth comes in the next chapter, then we learn another secret of Edward's, then we see more of Tanya, and then Emmett, then Rosalie, and James (of course) and finally, a brief glance at Jasper through Rosalie's memories. And **_**then**_** we meet our "lovable" Jake, Quil and Embry, and many more!)**

**It's about to get good!**

**Warning now ahead of time: Rose is very, very sad in this story and her memories make even ME want to cry—and I never cry. **

**Ok, Shelbs that enough spoilers for now. Hah. **

**F.Y.I.: Robert Stillington**—**REAL PERSON**

**Princess Elizabeth**—**REAL PERSON**

**King Henry**—**REAL PERSON**

**BUT all events here are FICTIONAL. (I don't expect anyone to know these people, they lived centuries ago. I just finished an extensive class on them, so I know...) Okey dokey, now we can move on...**

* * *

The Toad Who Would Be Prince

**Edward's POV**

This was so stupid.

Could anyone tell me why I was stuck, sulking, in a tree with a _flea _while I waited for my human companion to wash? At least Bella'd wore some sort of suit this time to keep me from repeating that awkward experience before. She'd called it a "swim-" something. I think it _was_ a suit. Whatever it was, it was tiny, much shorter than anything the girls here wore.

She swam around the lake at the bottom of my tree, happily chattering away. To who, I didn't know, because my attention was fading in and out. Despite being rather annoyed at the slow progress we were making, I was rather content there in the tree: the heat was tolerable in the shade, the lake babbled pleasantly, Bella's chatter wasn't so horrible to listen to...

What was she even saying now?

"Ah!" she sighed happily, springing out of the water. "That was so nice! Sparkling clear water and clean, fresh air! It's not so bad, being in the Middle Ages."

I still hated thinking that she was from another time. It made her seem like a witch or something.

So I said, sighing in an irritation I only half felt, "We've been away for three days now! Maybe there aren't any pieces of the jewel left in this part of the country."

"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever," Myoga agreed hastily, his back to me on the branch. What was he looking at so interestedly?

"Are you listening to me?" I demanded, opening my eyes to glare at him lazily.

"Huh?" he asked distractedly. "Oh, well, you may be right. But my, my... the firm, luscious flesh of young women..."

Why did that severely cross me?

"Listen, you," I growled warningly.

He hopped over and landed on my knees, grinning at me with cheerful comradie. "I'm just... going to go check on her," he said slyly.

I sat up, trying to impart some sort of warning to him before he could get himself seriously hurt. "You're just gonna get clobbered!" I hollered after him. _Take it from me. If that girl thinks you're pondering anything even _remotely _suggestive, you get hit with big, huge, painful _boulders_!_

Suddenly, something white whizzed past me, heading for the lake and Bella. I immediately focused on it, almost animal-and-prey concentration. I took off running after it, using my normal speed instead of the human pace I'd adopted recently for Bella. It was so annoying to move so slowly.

Myoga saw me pass him and crossed his arms, and I could just hear his smirk as his voice floated after me. "Master Edward, you naughty boy, you can't resist either."

Ew. As if it were anything like that. Bella looked too similar to Tanya to be anything pretty to me.

Right as I was jumping over the lake to some boulders up breaking the surface, Bella turned around and screamed at me. _Scared the hell out of me, _I should say.

I gasped, crying out involuntarily, as I momentarily lost my balance and faltered on the rock. When I regained my sense of equilibrium, I said, "Jeez, would you not scare me like that? It's not what you think!"

She didn't even look at me. She just pointed and shrieked, "It wasn't 'cause of you, it's my clothes!"

What? _Clothes_?

I glanced over to where she was pointing and saw that streak of white making off with Bella's little skimpy outfit over its head.

As I watched him, a shrill whistle floated out to me.

"A finger whistle?" I asked out loud.

Bella took off with me to discover where the whistle came from, and we found a man sitting at the base of a tree behind some bushes where she'd been swimming. He had dark brown, almost black hair, and really black eyes, but that's where his would-be good features ended. He looked like a wimp. Probably some nobleman's son or something. The monkey happily plopped into his lap, brandishing Bella's clothes over his head.

"That's my good boy," the man said, smiling slightly. "So what did you bring me this time?"

He put his hand inside Bella's shirt and pulled out her undergarment. I never knew the name of it, but it was some weird looking cup thing with straps over the shoulders. Bella's cheeks turned eight shades of red, seeing him hold it. The man himself seemed to realize it was something private, because even that dork was blushing.

"Th-This isn't something to eat!" he stammered.

He started to pull out the part of Bella's under clothes that was apparently even more private, and I saw Bella flinch but then get angry. I decided I'd better intervene.

"Hey!" I shouted, jumping out of the bushes.

"Give me my clothes back!" Bella echoed, still behind me.

The man gasped, falling back on his butt. At least he had the good reflexes to draw his sword within moments. He pointed it threateningly at me, and then at Bella, back and forth.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "You look suspicious!"

"We were just about to say the same thing," I said, kicking his sword away.

**#$%!! #$%!! #$%!!**

Why was I stuck with a bunch of peace-lovers? Some violence every now and then was a good thing, you know. It relieves stress. But _nooo_, little miss Saint Bella hates violence... So within moments, she had the weird dude sitting under the tree, pigging out on the treats she brought for _me_. I sat on the roots of the tree, a few feet above Bella's head.

"You must've really been hungry," Bella said, in her "I'm going to be polite voice" while she stared at the man eating. True, the boy looked like he would choke on the chips, he was scarfing them down so fast. Kind of like watching an animal. Sick freak.

"Want some tea?" Bella asked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

"Thank you!" he gasped, snatching it out of her hand. She shook her head, trying to make her face all polite, and then turned to me. I knew it was childish, but my face instinctively turned away so that she couldn't see I'd been watching her.

"Want something to eat, too, Edward?" she asked.

"No, thank you," I said, but it came out like a petulant mutter even though I really was trying to be polite. Or, rather, trying to prove that not all men are pigs, even the demon ones.

I jumped off my tree root to sit next to her, deciding it was interrogation time for the man.

"But if you eat it, I wouldn't have to carry it," Bella reminded me.

"Well then why do you bring so much stuff back here every time you go home?" I asked, picking up her bag. She was such a drama queen. It wasn't even heavy. Then again, she _was_ just a weak human girl.

She rolled her eyes up at the sky as though _she_ had to ask for patience. Psh. She didn't know the meaning of impatience. Hell, _I_ hadn't even known the meaning of impatience until I'd met her.

"Well," she said thoughtfully, "I have clothes to change into, and homework, and..."

The man crunched the bag in his hands, drawing our attention back to him. I instantly got angry again, but it was directed internally. I'd forgotten he was even there. Was I really that pathetic?

"I give you thanks, woman," he said, smiling with a little too much warmth at Bella. He stood up, and Bella and I followed suit. "The dried potatoes were delicious!"

"My name is Bella," she said, smiling back. Hmph. She gestured to my chest. "He's Edward, and—" She broke off, staring rather frustratedly at the man's face. Then I saw Myoga was sucking the dude's blood. More power to him. He smelled disgusting to me. "He's Myoga the flea."

The man slapped Myoga away and stared at the two of us like we were freaks. I was used to such looks, but Bella looked a little troubled by it.

"You said before you were separated from your comrades," Bella said slowly, thinking. "Are you a nobleman?"

He turned his back on her crossing his arms across his chest. "For personal reasons, I cannot reveal my lineage." He walked away a few paces, and I could tell the wimp was trying to Mister Tough Guy. Eventually, like he should, he just gave up and turned around to Bella with a stupid smile on his face. "But my name's Stillington."

"S-Stillington?!" Bella suddenly gasped, practically melting. "_The_ Stillington?!"

She lunged forward, grabbing his hand in both her own and said enthusiastically, "Let me shake your hand! I'm so glad to meet you!" She pulled a pad and pen out of her backpack and almost threw them at him. "Can I have your autograph?"

"Uh, autograph?" he asked confusedly, looking denser than normal.

"Oh, your name," Bella said quickly. "Your _full_ name, of course."

She stood back, bouncing on her heels and grinning ear to ear.

"What's got _you_ so excited?" I muttered.

"He's Robert Stillington!" she said to me, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Hel-_lo_. Didn't you study history? Famous naval officer...?" When I didn't respond, she went back to waiting excitedly.

That is, until Myoga burst her little bubble.

"Actually, my dear, that's not what the signature says," he said embarrassedly from her shoulder.

She snatched the pad out of his hands, which suited me just fine even if he was done writing. I hated seeing them be all flirty. Gross.

Her face fell almost faster than even I could watch. Almost. She lowered the pad and stared at the man. "_George_ Stillington?" she asked in disbelief. "But I thought you were Robert Stillington."

Suddenly, the man's face was not shy at all. He got all huffy, turning his back on her again and crossing his arms like a wimp.

"I belong to the clan in Normandy," he said coldly. "Please do not confuse me with _him_."

"So you do know him?" Bella asked, looking like it might be her last hope.

The man whirled around to face her angrily, and I wanted to punch him across the hill for being so disrespectful to her. I knew _I_ acted like a total jerk to her sometimes, but... That was _me_. No one else could.

"YES!" he said angrily. "And he's a big idiot!"

Bella threw down her pad and pen furiously and shouted back, "If you're not Robert Stillington, why didn't you say so earlier?" Then she turned around all dejected, her bottom lip pushing out a bit. "And here I thought you were living history..."

For a moment, George Stillingtoes or whatever his name was looked terrified of Bella at her outburst or her mood swings. Who knew? He'd probably never seen a girl display her feelings so openly. I used to live like a nobleman, so I knew what the girls of that rank were like. Meek, gentle, quiet, kind... Spineless, stupid, echoes.

Finally, George regained his composure and cleared his throat, annoyed. "I thank you again for the food," he said stiffly. "I have an important mission, so I'll take my leave. Fare thee well."

Bella didn't even glance at him, which made me feel obliged to be a little nicer. The loser started walking off in the wrong direction, and I called after him, "I wouldn't go that way if I were—"

Before I'd even finished my sentence, he screamed like a girl and fell off the hill's cliff-like side. Not that it was a big fall, it couldn't have been more than five feet tall. Idiot.

**#$%!! #$%!! #$%!!**

Stillington crouched behind some bushes at the next village, hiding from the people that were talking. I would have been able to eavesdrop for him from a good twenty feet back, but he wouldn't listen. Bella was crouching just behind him, me to her side. She was the one who wanted to follow him, not me. But there was no way I was letting her go by herself. ...For the jewel, of course...

Something strange was going on in the town. All the young women that looked remotely appealing were being led to the road, where they wrists would be bound together. Then they were put into a line, and tied into place like cattle. It was disgusting to watch. They all looked so _sad_.

"But why be they takin' 'em? Why they be takin' our girls?" one old man mused aloud to no one in particular. Several younger men standing around turned to face him.

"'Tis said that nary a lass who enters that castle... is e'er heard from again," one said tremulously.

"I knew it!" Stillington muttered under his breath. "So the rumors I heard were true!"

I sighed impatiently, turning to Bella. "So why was it that you and me had to follow after this guy, again?"

Bella hesitated, looking like she was torn between annoyance at me, and embarrassment at her explanation. If she had some sort of crush on him...

"Well..." she said slowly, "he doesn't seem like someone who can manage on his own."

"What about _us_?" I shot back, irritated. "We still have to look for the jewel shards!"

"Though God may strike me down for speakin' it," the old man hissed, catching our attention again, "'tis said our lord is possessed by a demon!"

"Aye," another agreed in a whisper. "'Tis a hungry spirit, indeed... what _eats_ the lasses brought b'fore 'im!"

Well, that changed some things.

* * *

**Elizabeth's POV**

I'd been summoned by my lord husband to the tea room, where I was expected to wait on him like a servant. It aggravated me, but I let it slide. He'd just recovered from being ill, after all. Allowances must be made.

His entire body was still bandaged from his accident, but it seemed to have grown somehow. His face seemed longer than before, but perhaps I was just imagining it. It _had_ been a long time since I'd actually looked at him, instead of his bandages.

Henry sat back comfortably, sipping his tea. "Princess Elizabeth," he said. I repressed a shiver. His voice, too, had changed since his accident, and I had not exactly grown fond of it hence. It reminded me of some nasty low man trying to seduce girls. "Like you well this castle life?"

"Yes, my lord," I answered numbly, an instinct. "I lack for nothing."

"I am glad to hear that," he said, going back to his tea.

I looked down at the floor, trying to build up the courage to voice the question that had been bothering me for quite some time. Finally, I decided to just get it over with.

"If I may, my lord," I said hesitantly.

"Yes, Princess?" he asked grandly, waving his arm pompously for me to talk. That wasn't something my husband would do at all. I hated how much the accident had changed him.

"I understand that you have summoned many of the young village women to the castle," I said quietly, not daring to speak up. "Might I ask where they are?"

He froze for the tiniest of moments, and then threw his tea glass onto the floor, leaping to his feet in a flash. I gasped, shrinking back into my chair as he screamed, "You! May! Not!"

"Please forgive me for being so intrusive!" I said swiftly, shutting my eyes. Henry had never struck me before, but in his current state, I would not have put it past him.

Instead of realizing my expectations, Henry stormed away, mumbling to himself. How much could one accident harm a man?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Later that night, we finally got to the king's castle. Unfortunately, we went about getting there the wrong way and ended up on the side where the castle was situated high up on a rock. At the rate we'd been walking, it would take forever.

"That has to be the place," Edward said aloud, looking at the rock wall like it was nothing to even be considered. And for him it probably wasn't. Me and Stillington, though...

Edward suddenly laughed once. "This place reeks with the smell of evil. I'm sure we'll find a piece of the jewel. We'd better go and have a look around."

To my intense surprise, he knelt down on one knee in front of me, bending his upper body forward a little. "Jump on, Bella!" he commanded.

Not wanting to provoke him into being mean again, I scrambled over and he picked me up piggy-back style. Then I felt something tugging on my clothes and looked down. Stillington was also on Edward's back, fighting me for a better spot.

"Hey!" Edward said indignantly. "What's the big idea? Get off!"

"I have business at this castle, too," Stillington said stiffly, not even looking at Edward.

"Then climb up yourself," Edward snapped. I sighed impatiently. Those two had been biting each other's heads off all day and I couldn't even pretend to understand why. But I did get that we weren't going anyway with them bickering.

"Just take him, too," I said impatiently.

Edward sighed, musing, "Why does it always got to be me that's the nice guy? You ready?"

We both acknowledged, and Edward took one easy jump over the wall, scaling it a little as he did so. We were over the gate and in the front yard of the castle within a moment. Edward tensed, still in his crouching position, and Stillington and I got off him, preparing for a fight. No one would let three strangers into a castle in the middle of the night.

Instead, all we found were several guards... asleep.

"So much for castle security," I muttered, rolling my eyes. I'd read so many books about people being killed for something like this, and here we were just walking on in. "Everyone's asleep."

Myoga jumped onto Edward's shoulder, hissing, "Don't be fooled, Master Edward. Their sleep is hypnotic. Probably castle-wide."

"Let's get it started, then," Edward said.

Edward and I walked a bit slower than Stillington, who ran through the halls of the castle, opening every door, checking every room, yelling, "Princess Elizabeth!"

"Is it safe for him to yell like that?" I murmured to Edward, watching as Stillington checked another room.

"Don't know why not," Edward said carelessly. "Everyone's under some hypnotic sleep. With this much noise, I'm sure the demon will come seeking us out."

He made that sound like a good thing...

Finally, we reached some French-style double doors that opened wide. They were white and glossy, distinctly feminine and expensive. They had to lead to the princess' room. Apparently Stillington was thinking the same thing, because the threw the doors aside and bolted in, shouting, "Princess!"

He froze, catching sight of an old woman on the ground. Then he gasped, running to the old lady and holding her in his lap. "Princess Elizabeth! Are you all right?!" He turned her over to examine her wrinkly, weather-beaten face. "Oh, what has become of you?"

I walked past him, sighing irritatedly again, over to the actual bed in the room, where a beautiful blond girl slept. She looked to be about my own age. She had to be the princess.

"Hey, Stillington," I said reluctantly, "I hate to interrupt, but isn't _this_ the princess you're looking for... over here?"

"Huh?" he asked stupidly, opening one eye to glance perfunctorily at the girl in the bed. Then he did a double-take, gasping hugely. He dropped the old woman back onto the floor.

"Such a beautiful princess!" sounded a familiar voice on my shoulder. "We must awaken her."

He fell on the princess' face, and immediately started drawing blood into his mouth. Within seconds, the princess' hand came up and squashed him, and her dark eyes fluttered open, looking around at us confusedly.

"Princess?" Stillington whispered, stepping slowly closer.

The Princess went rigid and then bolted to a sitting position in her bed. "Stillington... ? Why are you here?" she asked in shock. I realized this might take a while, so I plopped to the ground next to Edward, who'd already taken a seat a few minutes ago.

"Princess Elizabeth..." the idiot returned, sounding just as shocked. "You recognize me?"

"How could I forget you?" the princess said, smiling. "You are my childhood friend who was ever so kind to me."

Stillington blushed and looked down, twiddling his thumbs. "Th-thank you. I thought you had long forgotten a lowly vassal like me."

The princess smiled slightly again, this time a far away one, like she was remembering. "You'd fall into the pond... or slip in horse dung... and always made me laugh."

Stillington's whole face went red that time, and he groaned softly as he looked down, humiliated.

That blush alone got me suspicious. I wasn't a matchmaker by any standard, but with a relationship and situation like this one, it was kind of obvious...

I leaned over and whispered to Edward, "Do you think Stillington is in love with the princess?"

"Do you even have to ask?" he whispered back. He snorted. "Pathetic."

The princess' dark eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I wish I could return to those days... !" she said with surprising force. Did she mean, back to her childhood? "It was shortly after I came here as his bride that my lord husband started acting strangely," she explained out of nowhere. "He fell at the edge of the pond in the garden and ran a terrible fever. He completely changed... Almost like he was another being entirely."

I felt Edward stiffen at my side, and I knew it wasn't because of her story. But Edward made no move to say anything, so I shrugged it off.

"Stillington, what shall I do?" the princess begged. Now she was starting to annoy me. Just because she was a girl didn't mean she didn't have a brain. She could leave if she wanted to. She didn't have to ask any man that came along what she should do because she couldn't figure it out for herself.

"You have no choice!" the man said, a little too eager if you ask me. "You must return with me to our homeland. Even your mother has heard of this lord's derangement. In fact, she ordered me to come for you."

"My mother's orders?" she asked blankly.

Stillington edged forward, and he seemed to forget Edward and I were present at all.

"Even if she had not ordered it," he said firmly, "I would have..."

"Stillington," she sighed, seeming content again. Then her tone and face changed to almost confusion and she said, "Stillington?"

"Yes, princess?" he asked, blushing and a still too eager.

"There's a monkey on your head," she said, pointing to where Stillington's stupid monkey was balancing precariously on his black head.

Stillington's head dropped in disappointment and frustration, and Edward stood up. I watched him, not rising. What was the point? He was probably just irritated with Stillington trying to put moves on the princess.

"The prince's finally getting closer," Edward announced. Closer? Meaning, Edward had heard him approaching all this time? "You coming, Bella?"

"Yup," I said, grabbing my bow and getting up. Strangely, I wasn't even scared. I knew how strong Edward was. This could be a good time for me to practice, though.

The strangely shaped man outside stopped when he saw Edward and I leave the princess' room. "Intruders!" he barked.

"Ugh!" I said in disgust, shrinking closer to Edward's back. That thing couldn't even be called a man. He looked too misshapen and nasty.

"Yeah," Edward said, smirking cockily. "And it took you long enough. Let's go!"

He lunged at the prince, preparing to hit him with his nails, but he had to jump out of the way to dodge... a tongue? Oh, SICK! The prince spit out like a five foot long tongue that was meant as an attack on Edward. Then Edward swiped at the demon's head, tearing the bandages off him.

"Let's see your true face!" he said.

The demon fell back on its butt, squawking indignantly in its nasty voice. How disgusting. Unlike Jenkins, who was nasty but only slightly toad-like, this demon really was a toad. A big, ugly frog.

"My lord...?!" the princess shrieked uncertainly, before fainting. If Stillington hadn't caught her, she probably would have given herself a concussion on the hardwood floors.

The toad glared at Stillington, who was now holding his "wife." Could demons even have wives? Wait, that was racist... or species-ist. Whatever, it was biased.

But helpful.

As soon as the toad demon prince turned to glare at Stillington, the absence of a shield made his shoulder glow bright pink, and I felt a familiar pull to be closer. That was a shard of the jewel imbedded in his right shoulder.

"A piece of the jewel!" I told Edward, not making any move to get it. Psh. Like I would touch that toad with ten foot pole.

Edward laughed once. "And a fat lot of good it's done him," he said sarcastically.

Myoga jumped onto his shoulder again, appearing out of nowhere. That, or I was extremely unobservant.

"Beware of him, Master Edward!" his hissed warningly. "This demon toad is three hundred years old. He's stronger than he looks."

"Hah!" Edward said. I could practically hear his eyes rolling. "I'll take care of him in one blow."

He flew forward again, and I saw the toad demon's cheeks get all puffy. Before I really registered the fact, Edward was on the ground, choking. I backed away, coughing in the smoke that I was suddenly swimming in.

"Bella!" Myoga said from my shoulder. "Toxic vapors! Do not inhale it!"

"When'd you get here?" I demanded, keeping a hand firmly over my mouth and nose for whatever protection it could provide. Myoga, the coward, was supposed to be with Edward.

Edward laid on the ground, struggling to gain control of himself, coughing horribly. He sounded awful. The toad didn't even glance at him, just walked right on by me and him to Stillington and the unconscious princess.

"Give me back my princess!" the demon said in his nasty, congested voice.

Stillington drew his sword, pressing his shirt's sleeve over the princess' mouth and nose so she wouldn't breathe in the air in her sleep.

"Stay back, monster!" he shouted threateningly.

"Fool!" the demon taunted. "What can you do, human scum?"

He did the nasty elongated tongue thing again, and I flinched involuntarily, watching the tongue stab Stillington in his right shoulder. Stillington shrieked in pain, accidentally dropping Princess Elizabeth and falling onto his back, his face contorting.

Before I could react, the toad scooped the princess over his shoulder and literally jumped through the wall to our right, running away over the roof.

"Princess!" Stillington said, sitting up weakly.

I landed on my knees beside him, preparing to go after the toad demon. "Don't move. You're badly wounded."

"Never mind what happens to me!" he groaned, still managing to make his voice firm. "Save the princess!"

"I knew it," I said, smiling despite everything. "You _are _in love with the princess, aren't you?"

His face fell into a mask of horror. "How could you tell?"

I blinked, shocked. "Eh, you mean it was a secret?" I asked.

Edward groaned, getting to his feet. He glared out the gaping hole the toad had left behind.

"That disgusting toad," he grumbled. "He won't get away!"

It seemed the princess regained consciousness while the toad prince ran, because we suddenly heard a shrill scream come from their direction. Edward growled under his breath.

Then he turned back and looked at me, saying quickly, "I'm going on ahead." He promptly jumped out the hole, running along the roof just like the demon had. "Stop!"

"Hey!" I shouted after him. _Thanks for nothing, jerk!_

* * *

**Edward's POV**

As I ran outside, the smells of the entire castle combined, making it harder for me to follow the toad and the princess. Of course, the toad's smell was so strong and revolting, it wasn't too difficult. I searched the courtyard and paused, hearing voices nearby.

A young girl was crying, breathing heavily but uncertainly.

The toad demon, wherever he was, was chuckling insanely to himself. "Princess Elizabeth..." he mumbled. "I like you... Let me have you."

The girl cried out in a mixture of disgust and fright, and I took off running in the direction of their voices. There was no time for fiddling with the locked door. Following the would-be toad prince's own example, I burst right through the wall of the room I was sure they were in.

I was right.

...But too late.

As soon as I entered, I saw the demon stroking what looked like a huge egg sac, and the princess was trapped inside. She looked frozen in place. Beyond her was a chain of hundreds of girls, only they were all naked in their egg sacs. At least the princess was wearing her dress.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

With Stillington's arm around my shoulder and me bearing almost all his weight (which was a_ lot_) we finally made it into the room after Edward. Edward himself was standing there in shock, staring at something I couldn't see around him. But Stillington could, and he cried out in horror.

Finally, Edward moved a little, and I saw a chain of egg sacs containing naked young women about my own age everywhere. They looked frozen, immobile. At least the princess was still fully clothed, though.

"What has he done?" I shrieked out loud on accident.

"Princess Elizabeth!" Stillington cried, straining against my hold on him.

"The rumors were true..." Myoga muttered from my shoulder. "Just like toad spawn. The toad demon seals young women in egg sacs until their souls ripen, and they are eaten. He uses the power of the jewel to possess the prince, as well as the domain.

"He intends to devour Princess Elizabeth?" Stillington hissed.

The demon straightened up, staring at Stillington and laughing maniacally. Once again, I felt that draw towards him, towards the jewel, and saw the lilac light shine from his shoulder. It was so aggravatingly distracting. So close, yet so far...

_"Not while I'm alive!"_ Stillington roared, taking out his sword again and running 'full-steam ahead' towards the demon prince.

The toad's mouth puffed out again, and Edward reacted faster than I ever could. Within a moment, he'd pushed Stillington out of the way, unsheathed his Fang, and had cut down the toad demon from the shoulder.

"He hit him!" I cheered.

"Not only that," Myoga said happily from my shoulder, "but he was also able to use the Great Fang to do it."

"Well, he is rescuing a mortal..." I murmured.

"I'll dissect you with this if I have to," Edward said to the toad. I knew he probably meant it, but I still couldn't imagine Edward wasting such time on a weaker demon. "And cut out the jewel myself."

The demon sat up, his hand-flipper thing going instinctively to his bloody left shoulder.

"No," he groaned. "I'll die." Without any warning, he threw back his head, screaming, "Souls! Souls!"

The young girls floated out of the egg sacs, flying right into his stretched-out mouth. I almost threw up.

In the end, he devoured about five girls before we could stop him. His shoulder healed itself sickeningly, especially because we all knew where the health had come from. Murderous pig.

"Revival," he said, smirking at Edward derisively.

"Filthy, no-good—" Edward started hotly, but the demon interrupted him.

"What are you waiting for?" he taunted. "Keep stabbing me! And for each wound, I'll eat a fresh soul."

The sound of something mushy and gross falling on the floor distracted us all. The demon and Edward and I turned to the princess' egg sac, where Stillington had cut her free with his sword. Her blonde hair was matted to her head now, soaking wet, and she was draped across his lap, coughing.

Then she opened her eyes and looked around, her face contorting in fright. She jumped into Stillington's arms, hiding her face in her chest and sobbing like a child.

Stillington blushed, looking at her like she'd suddenly asked when she could go shopping or something. Then he wrapped his own arms firmly around her, murmuring, "I now have no regrets in life!"

"What're you doing to my princess?!" the demon shrieked, lunging at Stillington.

Without even using both hands, Edward let his sword drop on the demon's head, probably giving the nasty thing a concussion at least.

"You've got nothing to say," he said calmly.

The demon dizzily fell back on its butt, passing out immediately. Pathetic. The princess gasped and hid herself behind Stillington, who picked up his sword in defense. The demon wasn't even doing anything, though.

But then his hand-flippers lifted to feel his face, and his eyes opened again. Only this time, his eyes were different. They were gleaming like an insane person's. They were dark and frightened, and confused.

The toad blinked a few times, looking at each of us in confusion. Then his eyes fell on the princess.

"Princess Elizabeth," he gasped, his eyes widening.

That, in turn, made me and someone else in the room (I didn't think to care who) gasp ourselves. His voice wasn't the congested, nasty, suggestive tones of the toad. It was deeper, more gentle, and definitely belonging to a human man.

He felt his face again, his dark eyes blank in confusion. "What am—? Where am—?" He turned around and saw all the egg sacs he was leaning against, and his eyes widened in horror as his toad jaw dropped. "Is this all my doing?"

Edward tossed his sword onto his shoulder, leaning back and smirking. "Well, well!" he said in mock-surprise. "Isn't that convenient?"

"That voice..." the princess gasped. "It's the voice of my kind lord husband!"

"Then the real princes still lives inside the toad?" I asked no one in particular. How disturbing...

The prince, still in the toad's form except his eyes, fell forward so that he was on all fours. "What a frightening thing..." he whispered, "..._I_ have done!"

But that wasn't fair at all! If he was being possessed, he didn't have control over anything. How could he blame himself for something out of his power?

"Although I was possessed by the toad demon," he went on, not looking up at any of us, "my heart was still human. But lately, even my heart..."

He broke off and then looked up at Edward, his eyes begging.

"Kill me!"

The two words rang like sick bells in the silent room.

Even Edward looked upset. His mouth had formed an "O" of horror and pity.

"Please!" the toad prince implored. "Otherwise, I'll end up hurting—or even devouring Princess Elizabeth!"

"My lord!" the princess said, tears running down her face again.

She wasn't the only one. The poor prince was even crying.

"I beg you!" he said, tears escaping his dark, tormented eyes. "Slay me now!"

"Pretty noble words..." Edward said. Was he being intentionally callous to hide his own feelings, or was he really just an insensitive jerk? "I gotta hand it to you, prince." He took his sword off his shoulder, holing it in both hands. "As you wish."

"Hold it, Edward!" Stillington snapped. "What about the real lord?"

"Yes!" I agreed quickly, stepping closer to the group. "He still has a human heart!"

"Are you deaf?" Edward asked me. "The _real_ prince is asking me to kill him. This is no time for silly sentimentality."

"Stop it!" Stillington shouted at the both of us. He surprised me to no words by running in front of the toad prince, stretching out his arms to block Edward's path. "Sheathe your sword, Edward. Inside this monster, the real prince's heart still beats!"

"Move!" Edward said, holding out his sword threateningly.

"I can't!" the man responded, his voice breaking slightly in fear. "I cannot allow you to kill the monster while the prince's heart beats! Even if he weren't a prince, I despise the taking of life!" He bowed his head slightly, closing his eyes. "This may sound naive considering the times in which we live..." He raised his head, glaring at Edward. "Laugh at me if you like. But I still... still...!"

Edward stared at him for a few moments, not moving. His sword was still poised to kill Stillington, but he didn't move to do that either. What was he thinking? Was he battling some good side of himself that was happy for Stillington, or was he thinking what an annoying jerk Stillington was for not letting him kill the toad?

Finally, Edward sighed and slid his sword neatly back into its sheathe, watching Stillington with a coldness that made _me_ wary. He didn't speak for a moment, but when he did, his velvet voice was brusque and icy.

"All right. I won't lift another finger. You can guys can settle this."

Without another word or sound, he turned and walked to the far wall, plopping down like this was some sort of show, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Suddenly, an insane evil laughter that was congested and nasty and all too familiar shocked us all. Stillington lowered his arms and started to turn when the toad, fully himself again, stood up behind him.

"Thanks for sparing me," he whispered evilly.

Then he did his nasty tongue thing right through Stillington's right shoulder—_again_. Stillington screamed, falling face-first onto the floor. The princess fell to her knees beside Stillington, who looked down for the count. I followed suit, but turned to face Edward in disbelief.

"Edward!" I said, my voice somewhere between a scold and a plea.

He gave me one withering look that didn't betray any emotion at all. Sometimes he was honestly as creepy as his brother. "If I help," he told me calmly, "the prince will die."

So in other words, _Make up your mind: danger and the prince, or my help?_

The toad came waddling toward the princess, softly calling, "Princess Elizabeth..." in the sickest tones ever.

"L-Lady Bella," Stillington coughed, barely able to move his head. "Pay me no heed. You must take the princess and escape!"

"Uh," I said, glancing back over at Edward, who had his eyes closed from either not wanting to see or annoyance. Unbelievable. "All right," I said, grabbing the princess' arm. "Let's go."

As we ran out of the room, I heard the toad stop walking. Then a quick, "Get off!" followed by Stillington crying out in pain.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Stillington landed beside me as the toad demon flung him away. He lay there, panting and groaning, while I watched the toad demon walk after Bella and the princess.

This was so _dumb_. There was no way around it, so why didn't they just let me kill the toad? I'd thought my little threat of doing nothing would work, but they seemed unaffected.

"Now do you see?" I asked Stillington.

He barely managed to get out, "Do _not_ kill him!" before passing out.

Idiot. He would have more than our reason for killing the toad, too. The prince living inside that body was his only romantic rival for the princess.

I knew the toad was weak. I could have killed him easily. And it wasn't like Bella wasn't strong on her own, but...

I sighed, irritated with myself.

_Why am I so scared?_

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Even I, tripping every other step, was faster than the prim princess, who, despite holding on to my hand for dear life, constantly remained several feet behind me. She wouldn't last much longer, and I knew that I certainly couldn't run forever.

"Think, think!" I muttered out loud. Thanks to Edward, this little rendezvous had turned nightmarishly real to me. "Isn't there something we can do?!"

"Though a demon, he's still just a toad," Myoga said in a hopeful voice, trying to help me. At least I had one ally I could count on. "He should have an aversion to heat."

"Heat?" I asked stupidly, making the mistake of looking at him while I ran. Of course I tripped over my own feet, but we continued on.

"Throw some hot water on him," he suggested.

"Hot water?" I demanded, almost angrily. Where would I get something like that? There weren't even lights in the hall we were running in. All the fire lamps had been doused. The princess stopped running beside me.

"Then the toad will be in agony and the real prince will be released," Myoga said proudly, jumping on my shoulder.

"And just how do we get hot water?" I asked sarcastically.

The toad suddenly sprang into the hall behind us, his arms outstretched, his mouth wide open as he screamed, "Stop!"

The princess seemed to just want to stare at him in fright. I grabbed her hand and ran again, thinking as fast as I could. _Something hot, something hot... _

"Fire!" I said out loud. I turned to the princess as we ran. "Is there something like a large torch?"

"Huh?" she asked me stupidly. Suddenly, Stillington's monkey appeared on her shoulder. Before we could say anything, he leaped off her shoulder, running way far ahead of us. The princess, trying to watch him and keep running, tripped on her long dress and fell on her face. The demon was getting closer, still hollering.

"I'll gobble both of you!"

I heard the monkey's triumphant chatter and turned to see him prancing back to me, a plate with a lit fuse on top. A burning incense. I gasped delightedly, bending down to scoop him and the plate up.

"What a smart monkey you are!" My face fell, holding the palm-sized plate in my hands. "If only it weren't so small..."

And there I was, acting like an idiot. I shouldn't have paid so much attention to the stupid monkey. The toad slowed as it came up behind us, but I didn't hear him until his tongue whip nasty thing had struck me, knocking me onto my face.

Thank God it only hit my bookbag. Of course, that caused the bag to open and all my things to spill out and hit me, but that was infinitely preferable to getting impaled.

The demon laughed evilly, taking his sweet time walking toward us. He seemed to think he had all the time in the world, and that we were helpless.

Luckily, we weren't.

At that precise moment, Edward jumped over the toad's head, flipping himself over so that he landed on his feet in between the toad and me.

"Edward!" I cried out in shock.

"Bella, I'm sorry, but mercy's a luxury we cannot afford," he said in a low voice, glaring up at the toad.

"Luxury?" I asked. For some reason, that sparked an idea to me. On the tip of my tongue... "I know! As in, hairspray!"

I turned around to fling apart the bottles and things that had come out of my bag, looking for the hairspray. As I found it, I grabbed the tiny flame from the monkey.

_It'll work! This will drive the toad out!_

"This is the only way," Edward said to me, lunging at the toad with his sword ready to kill.

"Sit!" I shouted, turning around with my hairspray and match-sized flame at the ready. As soon as Edward's body was totally down, I pressed the hairspray top down, spritzing it all over the flame, which then exploded into huge gusts of fire. They enveloped the toad, and he screamed in agony.

I stopped when his green skin started glowing. Then, the actual shape of a tadpole sprang out of the body of the prince and flew away, leaving the real prince unconscious on the floor.

"It worked!" I cheered, grinning. "Edward, the jewel shard!"

"On it," he said briefly, chasing the toad demon. With one swipe of the sword, he cut the demon in half. The toad demon disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a large piece of the jewel.

"Edward!" Stillington cheered, coming out of the other room with his left hand clasped around his wounded shoulder. He was still grinning like me, though, ear to ear. He grabbed Edward's hand, shaking it thoroughly. "Well done! The prince is alive! You waited until the toad was driven out! Good work!"

"Actually, I, um..." Edward said awkwardly, trying to take his hand back.

I stopped by his shoulder, whispering, "It's kinder to just let him believe it."

"Stillington?" the princess' voice came, uncertain but hopeful.

The three of us turned around, and the poor guy got really excited this time. She stood up slowly, and he walked a few paces toward her. "Princess Elizabeth?"

"Stillington!" she cheered happily, laughing. She ran forward, and Stillington's face grew so excited it was painful to watch. Of course she hugged her husband, who had risen at the sound of her voice. "You saved my husband! Thank you!"

She pulled back, smiling widely up at the prince. He wasn't that bad looking, after all. I guess I'd imagined him all ugly because he was possessed by a toad demon.

"Oh, my lord," she murmured. "You are your old self once more."

"Forgive me for all that has happened," he begged, pulling her into another tight hug. Their reunion would have been too cute to bear if I hadn't felt so terrible for Stillington.

"He seems like a very kind prince," I said, tilting my head to the side. To be honest, I was trying to bait Edward into saying something about how he was glad he hadn't killed the guy. Instead, Edward misinterpreted my meaning and looked at the crestfallen Stillington.

"He had his chance," he said bluntly, shrugging.

**#$%!! #$%!! #$%!!**

Later that morning after the sun had risen, Edward, Stillington and I went outside back to the tree where we'd first met. I threw a blanket on the ground so I could sit comfortably, and got out some food for all of us.

"The toad demon's spell was broken," I said, trying to cheer him up, "and all the women have been saved. I know _I'm_ glad." Stillington didn't move, just kept his back to us as he stared out over the fields.

"Oh, come on," I said sympathetically. "Please cheer up."

"I knew it," Edward sighed, leaning comfortably back into the tree behind him. "He _is_ a first-class fool! He was almost killed yet he saved the life of his only romantic rival."

Stillington chuckled, half embarrassed, half regretful, and bowed his head. It ended in a groan of self-pity. "That's true," he said. "I am the world's biggest fool."

Edward shot him one casual glance before closing his emerald eyes again. "You _are_ a fool. But you also saved a lot of lives, so don't beat yourself up too hard. There's plenty of others that'll do that."

Stillington turned around in shock, as surprised as I was that Edward said something semi-nice. He was getting better all the time! I couldn't keep the delighted smile from spreading across my face. Stillington smiled, too, and stood up.

"Know what?" he asked. "I'm feeling quite chipper now. I'm off!"

Edward's eyes popped open again and he called quickly, "I wouldn't go that way if I were—"

But it was too late. Again.

"—you," Edward finished flatly.

* * *

**So that chapter wasn't much, I know. Kind of some fluff, another shard... **

**Anyway, if anyone's curious as to why Edward's a jerk all the time here's the reasoning: **

**Remember, he was raised by his human mother. He loved her with everything he had. When she died, it was like he lost everything. You saw how those other humans treated him. As soon as his mother wasn't there to make sure they treated him well, he was thrown out**—**as a child! He was shunned by humans, and hunted by demons who thought, like Peter, that he was worthless for being half-demon. It's hardened him over time. He's learned not to trust anyone. In his eyes, no trust=no love=no heartache. That lesson was ten times as important to him after Tanya's betrayal. But, like Bella thought there towards the end, he really is getting better all the time. Of course, he'll always **_**try **_**to act like a jerk because he thinks men never show emotion, but the others will all see through him easily. **

**Anyway, after that little sneak peek at his feelings, and this chapter, here's a sneak peek at the next one:**

**Bella's POV**

_Beyond this well is the feudal era. Perhaps, I'll get to meet some real-life warlords_—_like William the Conqueror, Charles V, or even some other famous people like Leonardo da Vinci! I know my history grades have gone up, but these days I don't go anywhere without my autograph book! I think a camera might be useful, too... I don't think I'll want to take a look at photos of demons and things, though. But sometimes there's cute ones, like this little guy, Seth, just looking for a little help. Next time, "Enter Seth... Plus, the Amazing Thunder Brothers!" _

**Don't forget to review!**


	10. Enter Seth

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**So here's the promised entrance of our third major character. Remember, the storyline's really about to pick up from here: Seth, Edward's biggest secret, Tanya becomes a BIG nuisance because we -ahem- SEE more of her (hint, hint), then Emmett, then James, then Rosalie, then a little Jasper, then Alice, then Jacob, THEN several minor characters like Mike and Victoria... **

**Note: Abrosius and Hans Holbein are real people. They're just not **_**these**_** people haha**

* * *

Enter Seth... Plus, the Amazing Thunder Brothers!

**Bella's POV**

Edward and I didn't even get to travel another two villages out before he decided he was too hungry to go on. No matter where we were at the point, he wanted to stop and eat. Disgusting! I set the time on my cell phone (not good for much else in the feudal era) and laid out his stupid ramen noodles on the heater.

"Ok, three minutes are up," I said, pressing the 'ok' button to stop it from beeping. I tried to make my tone more civil, but I was furious. Edward grabbed the cup of ramen and started chowing down, Myoga riding along on his shoulder.

"Tastes great!" Edward said. Why did he love those stupid things so much? I just braced my elbows on my knees, resting my head in my hands, and glared at him. "Bella, this is really good!"

"Next best thing since sliced bread," I said sarcastically.

He stopped eating and looked at my untouched cup on the ground. He pointed to it and said, "Aren't you having some?"

I let out a sound halfway between a scream and a groan of frustration, jumping to my feet. We were sitting on a rocky barren ground, littered with swords and broken armor and skeletons. Haunting just to pass through, let alone eat in.

"How can you eat in a place like this?" I demanded, trying not to raise my voice too much. "We're in the aftermath of a battle! No! I guess _you_ were too busy rummaging through my backpack to notice! 'I'm _hungry_,' he says. Then you have the nerve to expect me to eat here?"

I sighed irritatedly and sat back down on my boulder, going back to glaring at him. "Even your bloodsucking flea buddy has better manners."

Myoga turned his head away from Edward and said, "_Finally_ I've found someone who has good taste _and _tastes good. I must say how impressed I am by the conveniences of your time. I was shocked at your 'bye-cycle.' But a thing that tells time, and by looking at your strange, instant foodstuffs, you do much trade with foreigners from the south."

"Wow!" I said, cheering up slightly. At least talking about my time was better than watching Edward slurp down ramen. "Good observation, Myoga. These noodles Edward's slurping down faster than a caveman are called ramen noodles, and they were invented by the Japanese in the Space Age. Everyone eats them now, but they were orginally meant for astronauts in outer space."

Even Edward looked up from his noodles at this.

"'Astro-nuts'?" the both asked, Edward a little thickly over his food.

"Astro_nauts_," I corrected. "Humans go to outer space—" I broke off, gasping a little as I remembered. "Oh, yeah! You guys don't even know we've been to the moon!"

"_Man_ has traveled to the moon?" Myoga asked, blatantly skeptical.

"On a 'bye-cycle'?" Edward asked, straightening up as he rested his food cup on his knee.

"No, using a rocket, of course."

"And a rocket would be... ?" he prompted.

I may have got a little into it, but I stretched my hands out really wide, explaining, "They're huge, and usually white, and fire shoots out from the bottom"—I mimed flames on the ground—"and kaboom!" I threw my hands in the air, rising a little up on my knees. Making a total fool out of myself, I should say.

Edward didn't comment, he just went back to his noodles. I blushed, crossing my arms over my chest and turning away angrily. "Trust _you _to be more interested in food than space travel!"

Suddenly, everything went totally dark, like something was blocking out the sun. A solar eclipse or something.

"What's going on?" I asked out loud. "Why's it so dark?"

Edward immediately sprung to his feet, throwing his cup across the ground. "I don't know, but something tells me it's trouble."

"Master Edward," Myoga scolded, "you mustn't litter."

Edward scoffed, rolling his eyes. "This is no time to be concerned about that."

I followed Edward's example, getting up. It soon became clear that I was right. The sky hadn't gone black or anything, something was just blocking our view of the sun. A great stream of blue light started shining down on us, and a voice echoed over. I would've laughed it I'd have seen the person. It sounded like just a little boy.

"You there... !" the invisible child said. "You possess a piece of the Sacred Jewel!"

"Who's there?" Edward called.

"That's fox fire," Myoga informed us, bouncing on Edward's shoulder.

"Fox fire?" Edward repeated blankly. Me, too. What the heck was fox fire? Great. More weird demons of animals I already knew. What would this fox be like? Eighteen feet tall with a penchant for picking flowers? I wouldn't put it past this era...

The blue lights started twirling around each other, spinning themselves into a tighter web until they were a small ball of white light. Then a huge pink bubble of a demon popped out of the small light, looking comically serious. It had huge, goggly eyes, little useless arms, and a big, wide-open mouth. Edward just stared at it in disbelief.

"Hand it over!" the bubble demanded, getting right up in Edward's face. "Or I'll kill you!"

The mouth of the bubble flew over Edward's head, like he was going to bite him. Edward just sighed, disappointed and a little irritated, and slapped the bubble out of his face.

The pink thing screamed in the soprano voice of young boys, flying out of control. It contracted again to form that small blue-white light, and this time a baby demon sprang out of it. It was so adorable! It was a little boy with black hair and dark eyes, tanner skin than mine but not dark, and he had a big fluffy tail like some sort of raccoon. The sky lightened up immediately back to normal.

"A child?" Edward said, running over to it. I followed him, and we found the boy sitting on the ground, rubbing his red cheek from where Edward backhanded him. He looked angry, like he was trying to be ferocious, but he was so harmless it was adorable.

"What are you doing, heathen?" he demanded, jumping off the ground. Seeing as he wasn't even knee height, it didn't make much of a difference.

Edward calmly reached down and picked him up by his tail, looking at the kid like he'd never seen anything like him before.

"Huh," he said thoughtfully while the child screamed and kicked and puched at him, trying to break free. "Feisty little thing, aren't you?" He smirked, looking at the fluff in his hands. "Nice tail. What are you?" He turned back to me, and I could tell by his eyes that he knew exactly what the kid was, he was just baiting him. "Looks like a baby badger, or a squirrel..."

"I'm a fox, heathen!" the mini-boy cried angrily.

First a flea, and now a fox that talked. What next? At least this one was easy on the eyes. "How cute!" I said out loud, going over to stand just behind Edward. "I wanna hold him when you're done!"

Edward turned to say something confusedly to me, but then he was yanked down to the ground by the hand that was holding the child. He gasped, crying out as he squatted down and struggled to remove the stone statue that was now pinning him there. What the—? I heard something rustling and turned around to see the kid rooting through my backpack, carelessly tossing away everything that he wasn't looking for.

"My things!" I cried, running over to stop him.

"Here it is!" he said triumphantly, straightening up. In his hands, he held my tiny jar that had our jewel pieces in it. "A piece of the Sacred Jewel!"

He catapaulted himself back into the air, grinning wickedly. "Our time together's been short but sweet," he said. "Farewell!"

He did the blue light thing again, but once again it was slightly different: this time he disappeared altogether. Ok, so that was embarrassing: caught off guard and robbed by a kid. It couldn't really get much worse.

I didn't even need Edward's super hearing to know the kid was scurrying around behind us. The bones rattled against each other, and we could hear his triumphant chuckling easily. Edward turned around and I followed suit, only to see a skull hopping away with a huge fuzzy tail sticking out the back of it. Was that supposed to be stealthy?

Edward bunched his fists, and faster than I could blink had the kid sitting back at our makeshift rest-stop.

The little tiny thing crossed his arms angrily across his chest, squeezing his eyes shut. I sat close in front of him, and he didn't seem to mind, but he kept glancing at Edward warily, who sat a few feet away casually. "My name is Seth," he said grudgingly.

"Why are you after jewel piece?" I asked.

"For my father," he said, his voice shaking. "I need to get the shards of the jewel so I can avenge him!"

"Avenge?" I asked cautiously. "You don't mean... your father was killed, do you?"

"I get it," Edward said, reaching into his shirt to pull something out. "He's not strong enough, so he wanted the power of the jewel to take out his enemies."

What he pulled out of his shirt was my jar of pieces. "Excuse me!" I said huffily. "Mind explaining how that mysteriously found its way out of my backpack and into your pocket?"

"Hah!" Seth said arrogantly. For some reason, he reminded me of a little Edward. But at that point I couldn't listen. I was too angry.

Suddenly, we were all talking at once:

"I'm strong enough even without the Sacred Jewel piece!"

"I was protecting it for you! Got a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I do, jerk!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Let go! It's safer with me!"

"I can handle it by mys—"

"_Are you listening to me_?" Seth shouted over our bickering.

That was when I realized I was acting more childish than even he was. Me and Edward were locked in some sort of pushing battle like I would have done ten or so years ago. He had a grip on both my wrists. My right hand held the jewel, waving it above my head so he couldn't reach it, and he was trying to yank my wrist down without hurting me. My left hand was pushing him away by his face, and that hand on that wrist was only because it was ticking him off. I was so stupid.

So Edward and I sat a few feet apart, the jewel safely back in my backpack (I always win), on our best behavior to listen to Seth's story.

He took a deep breath, seeming reluctant to talk about it. I would be too if I was suddenly orphaned at that age. He looked like he wasn't older than six or seven.

"It all started not too long ago," he said. "Hundreds of warriors were engaged in a battle near the forest where we lived. But a dark cloud passed overhead, a cloud so dark and evil, none could imagine what horrors it would bring. The warriors were at first puzzled by the strange turn in the weather."

_FLASH! A plush, grassy field, standing empty except for several hundred soldiers in two groups beside a thick forest. FLASH! One group wears red, the other blue, and one man from the blue group blows on a horn to announce the coming battle. FLASH! A huge, dark cloud slowly spreads across the bright blue sky, darkening the field to the point of blindness. FLASH! One man from the red group of soldiers points upward, gasping, _"_Look! Something approaches!_"_ FLASH! A bright streak of lightening brightens the sky long enough for the soldiers to make out a second, much smaller cloud, rapidly coming out. FLASH! One handsome young man with blood red eyes flies on wheels of fire, and another ugly demon rides on the cloud. FLASH! Both men wear two or three jewel shards in their foreheads, and the handsome man carries a lightening rod. FLASH! _"_Time to hunt, Hans!_" _the human-looking one shouts excitedly. FLASH! _"_Aye, Brother Ambros! Start the hunt,_" _the ugly one responds. FLASH! The human-looking man called Ambros swings down his lightening rod, shouting, _"_Lightening attack!_" _FLASH! Within seconds, the entire red army is burned to a crisp, while the blue army watches in horror and awe. FLASH! _"_They annihilated the enemy in one blow!_" _one man of the blue army shouts to no one in particular. FLASH! The question flies around the entire army, _"_Are the beast-monsters our allies?!_" _FLASH! _"_Huh? Allies?_" _the ugly man shouts indignantly, whirling on the blue army. FLASH! He opens his mouth as wide as it will go, creating a huge ball of lightening in his mouth which he then shoots on the blue army, killing them all. FLASH! _"_Boy, wasn't that fun, Hans?_" _the handsomer one asks, grinning. FLASH! The uglier brother happily brushes the only three hairs on his bald egg head, agreeing, _"_It sure was, Brother Ambrosius._" _FLASH! _"_I have so much power left over,_" _the one called Ambrosius muses thoughtfully, looking at the now-dark sky. FLASH! _"_The power of the Sacred Jewel imbedded in my forehead is real._" _FLASH! _"_I'll say!_" _the ugly one agrees enthusiastically. FLASH! The handsomer brother stops flying on his wheels and falls onto the cloud next to his ugly brother. FLASH! _"_So let's keep gathering more and more, Hans!_" _FLASH! The ugly brother nods, stroking the pelt of a fox that is wrapped around his waist. FLASH! _"_Yeah,_" _he agrees. _"_We'll look high and low for beasts like this fox who possess the Sacred Jewel and beat 'em to death!_" _The brothers laugh evilly together, flying off into the distance. FLASH, FLASH, FLASH! _

Of course I decided that we had to check things out. The poor little kid was all alone in the world, anyway. As I rode on my silly-looking pink bike down the rode beside Edward, Seth sat aigtatedly on my backpack. He wrapped up his story as we rode.

"Wait," I said, as he finished. "Your father had a shard piece of the jewel?"

"The Thunder Brothers go around killing demons who possess pieces," he explained.

"Thunder brothers?" I repeated dimwittedly, stopping my bike under a tree that Edward had decided to pause in. He stood on one of the upper branches, listening.

"It's a nickname," he said. "Because of their thunder and lightening attacks."

"Heard of them, Myoga?" I heard Edward calmly ask the flea. Knowing Edward, he was probably sympathetic towards Seth, but was too stubborn to show it. So he was bent on getting revenge for him to make them both feel better. Or maybe I was giving him too much credit again.

"You mean, Ambrosius and Hans?" he asked Seth. "I have heard that they are unruly, mean brothers."

"So what?" Edward asked, leaning against the trunk and crossing his arms. "All I have to do is defeat them, and then I'll walk away with all their jewel shards."

"And one day, man will walk on the moon!" Seth shot back sarcastically. "You wouldn't be able to take them on! You're just a half-demon, aren't you? I can smell the human in you. Just a half-demon... you should stay out of demon affairs."

He turned his head away from Edward stubbornly, crossing his arms.

"Seth," I scolded. "That's no thing to say to E—"

Before I could finish my sentence, Edward had landed on the ground behind Seth and clocked him on the head. That might have been a little rough, but it was true what Seth had said was uncalled for and racist. Or species-ist. Whatever!

"Sorry!" Seth started chanting again and again, "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!"

Edward shrugged, crossing his arms. "As long as you understand."

"In penance..." Seth began, rummaging in his pockets for something. He took out a little grey rock of some kind and put it in Edward's palm, which then grew to be another of those statues, pinning Edward's hands to the ground with a seal.

He chuckled triumphantly, and Edward said, "Is this supposed to be _humorous_?"

He struggled against the statue, but it wouldn't budge. Oh, please. Edward was like the strongest guy in the world. A _statue_ wasn't going to stop him.

"As long as the charm stays on," Seth explained, "the statue will not move!"

He seemed proud of himself for completely such a trick.

"Don't be so childish, Seth," I said. "Take the spell off him."

He just scoffed and looked at the ground.

"Come on, Edward," I said, turning to him now, "stop playing around. The statue can't be _that _heavy."

"I can't get it off!" he muttered, groaning as he tried to pull his hands out from under it.

"I don't like to play tricks on women," Seth put in randomly, "but... I need you to sleep for a while."

He jumped up and slapped the back of my neck before falling back to the ground. I just stared at him. Was that supposed to have done something? I grabbed him up angrily and said, "That hurt!"

He did that annoying blue light trick right in my face, causing me to jump back and drop him to the ground. For a moment, I almost worried that he'd fallen and hurt himself, but as lithe as any dancer, he landed perfectly fine on his feet, chuckling triumphantly as he brandished something in his hand.

"I'll use this to lure out the Thunder Brothers," he said, grinning.

It was my jar of jewel shards! The little thief!

"The jewel shards!" I gasped aloud, running to the back of my bike and snatching up my bow and arrows. I chased after the little fox twerp, yelling, "Give them back or I'll _really _get mad!"

Dimly, on some subconscious level, I think I heard Edward calling after me. But I really couldn't pay attention, because, no offense to him, the jewel shards were more important at the moment. If I didn't get them back, Seth could end up losing them to a more powerful demon that would use them for evil or whatever.

"Bella! Wait! Peel off the charm first! You can't just leave me stuck like this! Hey, wait! _Bella_!"

* * *

**Hans' POV**

I sat by the edge of a babbling stream, admiring my visage in the water as I combed my three hairs. It was true, I was not as handsome as Brother. While Ambrosius had black hair, blood red eyes, tanned skin and incredibly slim physique, I had none of those things. Well, perhaps my hair _was_ black—if only more of it would come in for me to see. I was sickly pale, fat, and bald with slanty black eyes. Shame.

If only I had a little more hair. Then I'd be as popular as Brother Ambrosius.

I heard a suddenly rustling in the reeds to my left, where a path was just barely hidden in the tall grass. Peering closer, I saw that little fox demon baby come running down the path, smiling triumphantly. He laughed maniacally, but it still managed to sound innocent coming from such a young child's voice.

"He's not coming after me," he told himself happily. Did all children talk to themselves?

No matter. I stood up and stomped just in front of him to get his attention.

He looked so terrified that I couldn't help but taunt him a little. "Hmm..." I said slowly, staring down at him. "What's this? If it isn't the son of that fox I killed!"

I watched as the boy's dark eyes traveled down until they fell on the skin that had once belonged to his father but was now wrappd around my waste as a belt. Once again, his horror was of the highest amusement to me. So I patted the fur to get his attention again.

"Your father's fur is sooo warm!" I said, exaggerating on purpose. I laughed loudly then because it was cute, really, how angry he got. His whole tiny body quivered with rage and he glared at up me, baring his baby teeth and clenching his fists.

"Monster!" he growled in his childish, soprano voice. "How dare you do that to my father... !"

Tears falling from his eyes, he sprang at me, but I just punched his face, throwing him back away from me. He landed on the ground in a heap, several silly things falling out of his pockets that only a child would carry. However, there was one thing that fell out that no child should have.

A bottle with two Sacred Jewel shards inside. I gasped delightedly.

"Those are Sacred Jewel fragments!"

The kid gasped as well, realizing his error. He crawled on the ground, scrambling to gather up the bottle before I could. No matter.

I stomped on his tail hard, pinning him to the ground by it. He cried out in pain, but otherwise made no move to hand over the shards.

"Now hand them over like a good little lad or—" I started.

Before I could finish, something struck my face, right through my nose. I screamed in pain, releasing the baby fox. It was an arrow, shot right through my nose. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back, looking wildly around for my attacker.

It was a girl. A stupid, weak human girl standing not ten feet in front of me with her bow at the ready.

"Who are you?" I demanded. When she didn't answer and I saw the fox tyke trying to get away I turned back to him, preparing to reach down and throttle him.

"Don't move!" the girl commanded. I froze. While she had an arrow notched and ready, it would take a few moments for me to build up my lightening attack in my mouth. She had the advantage at that point. Damn her. "I'll hit you right in the brain next!"

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Some villagers came walking down the road near me, but only one remained once they saw me. They scattered faster than flies.

"Wait, please!" I called after them. My voice was getting hoarse with all this shouting and pleading. Just wait til I got my hands on that Seth... "Get this thing off me!"

"A monster!" the last remaining man shrieked, throwing up his arms and running away. I couldn't possibly look _that_ scary.

For God's sake, I was pinned to the ground by a statue in a squatting position. If it were someone else and _I_ happened along, I'd probably laugh!

"Don't run!" I pleaded. Of course he didn't listen. "I just need you to peel off this stupid charm!"

* * *

**Seth's POV**

"Bella... !" I said, accidentally out loud. I was shocked. Why was she helping me, after I'd stolen from her and pinned her mate to the ground? Was she crazy, or so kind she was deluded? Probably the second.

She held her next arrow notched and ready to go, glaring at Hans, who was still frozen behind me. He looked a little undecided. I couldn't believe he was actually obeying her. Lord knew he was powerful enough to kill us both in seconds. Then again, it always had taken him a few minutes to get his attacks ready. Bella was already there.

"My nose hurts!" he wailed. Was this even the same demon that had killed my Pa?

"Don't move!" Bella warned again, narrowing her brown eyes. She shot me one glance and then went back to watching the demon. "Seth, come here. Hurry!"

I looked between her and the demon that was rapidly getting madder behind me. Looking at the two of them, Bella seemed like less of a threat, so I ran and stood behind her, watching as the demon tried to catch me. He was so slow! How had I never noticed this? He was the fatter one, true, but because he was usually so powerful I never noticed how exceptionally weak he was without his lightening trick.

He chased me up the road to Bella, and I heard her thinking out loud to herself. "He has two jewel shards in his forehead... If I aim there, I can bring him down."

She released the arrow and it flew with intense speed at the demon, who stopped and watched it coming at him like a simpleton. But instead of striking his forehead, the arrow just grazed the top of his head.

To my surprise, and apparently Bella's too, this seemed to upset Hans more than the jewel shards. He tremulously raised his hands up to the top of his head, nervously feeling around his three hairs. Two of them fell off, cut out by Bella's arrow. When he felt that, his eyes filled with tears and he threw back his head, bellowing as he filled his mouth with his lightening trick.

I knew what that meant.

"Watch out! Run!" I shouted at Bella.

We both took off running, but she seemed to have some issues with the pebbles on the ground. She kept tripping herself up, but in the end she was able to keep running.

"My father was killed by that same attack!" I told her.

Braver than me, Bella turned her head around to see where Hans was. I watched her expression change to horror, and then as she threw herself at me. Just as she grabbed me up from behind, Hans' bolt attack struck her from behind. Thanks to her holding me, I didn't get the brunt of the lightening as she did.

She saved me.

When we hit the ground again, I jumped up immediately, preparing to run. But I couldn't just leave her. I turned around again... but she wasn't moving. She couldn't be dead... ? No, she was still breathing. But she was unconscious. I sat on her chest, shaking her shoulders as best I could.

"Bella, you've got to get up!" I said anxiously, shaking her all the harder.

I heard a rustle in the tall grass near us and knew Hans was coming after us. What could I do? I could stay and defend the sleeping Bella, or I could run and save myself. Neither seemed like a good choice. But wait! I could hide until the demon was gone and then get Edward! He would know what to do!

Decided, I jumped off Bella and scurried into the reeds, concealing myself. Now I could only hope the demon wouldn't find her. But of course he did. He pushed through the grass and stopped short at the sight of Bella lying unconscious on the ground. He looked around again, probably for me, but he didn't look all that disappointed when he didn't see me.

"It's only the woman!" he muttered. He stopped himself again, looking at Bella with renewed interest. He stomped his way heavily over to her side, kneeling down. "So... pretty!" he said. Oh, no.

I turned to run and get Edward while I still could, but then I heard a crash of thunder. That couldn't be the older brother, could it? I whirled back around only to see Hans flying away on his stupid looking cloud, Bella's unconscious body hanging off his lap. No!

I had to find Edward. He would know what to do. He would save her. After all, she was his mate, right? Then again, he'd be angry with me for letting her get kidnapped, that's for sure. And then there was the statue...

But I had to face that. Bella had just risked her life to save me, despite everything I'd just done to her. I had to do the same. It was only right.

Before I reached Edward, I hid in the brush again. I had to know his mood. If he was too angry, I'd really be punished.

I saw that annoying flea demon thing of Edward's trying to pull my seal off the statue, straining and groaning. Finally it gave up, saying dejectedly, "It's no use, Master Edward, I can't peel this charm off."

"Damn that punk fox!" he growled, pulling against the statue yet again. I sighed. I was going to get it bad. Better face it sooner than later.

I jumped up onto the back of Bella's strange pink contraption and said as haughtily as I could, "Edward!"

He looked up at me, surprised by my sudden entrance. I thought vampires were supposed to have superior hearing? Just goes to show you that half-breeds were just cheap imitations of the real thing. That or he was too focused on trying to get away to notice my approach.

"I'm willing to help you," I announced, bouncing off Bella's thing and landing just in front of him. "But you must promise _not_ to hit me."

Before I was even done talking, Edward's jade-green eyes had hardened into something like emeralds. He scanned the area quickly and then glared at me. "Where's Bella?" he demanded. "Why didn't she come back with you?"

Oh, crap. I was hoping we could save that part of the discussion for later. No sense in getting him all worked up over his woman now...

"Will you promise or not?" I repeated, raising my voice a little to disguise the fact that it shook. I was such a coward.

"Ok, ok," he said impatiently. "I won't strike you."

I snatched the charm off the statue which popped back into its original size—about an inch long. Then I tucked both things safely away in my pockets and said, "All right. I'll tell you where she is."

Before I knew it, Edward had slapped me over the back of the head. What the heck?

"I thought we had a promise," I grumbled in a mutter.

Bizarrely, creepily, his expression hadn't changed at all. He was still calm and nonchalant. Then his eyes widened in recognition and he said, "Oh, yeah. One more thing." He picked me up by my tail again—why did everyone keep going after that?—and shook me upside down until several things fell out of my pockets, the jewel shard bottle among them.

He picked it up, pocketing it as he said, "Good. All intact."

How could he?! "Will you pay attention?!" I shrieked. "Bella's been captured by the Thunder Brothers! This is no time for that!"

"Huh? Thunder Brothers?" he asked, his eyes fixing sharply on me again. There was something so calm in his expression that it _almost _disguised the fact that his whole body, including the damn hand tight around my tail, had suddenly gone rigid. "Aren't they the ones that killed your father? You came across them?"

I looked down, unable to meet his eyes. He leaned down a little, examining my face more closely.

"Hmm..." he said pensively. "You don't exactly look like you've avenged his death. Did you hide and watch Bella being kidnapped?"

"Sh-Shut up!" I shouted, too angry for words. Why were we still here debating this when Bella could be dead? "Why're you pinning all the blame on me? She's your woman, you should at least be able to rescue her!"

Edward blinked in shock, his cheeks flushing. Then, before I knew what had happened, he'd dropped me and let me land on my face in the ground.

"She ain't my woman!" he said harshly. He turned away from me, crossing his arms. His tone changed to loftiness as he said, "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to save her... if you're prepared to apologize, that is. Then I'll let bygones be bygones."

WHAT? I stood up, growling fiercely. Bella could be in dire need of us, and he was standing there expecting me to grovel at his feet! A voice I dimly recognized spoke from my shoulder urgently.

"Seth, just do as he says," Edward's little flea implored. "You need to act like an adult now. Time is of the essence, and Bella is in danger."

I growled, looking first to the ground and then at Edward's seemingly impassive back. "Why must I stoop so low?" Then I realized my situation in the flash of intuition. "But I can't save her by myself... Damn!" I fell to the ground, and muttered, "I apologize."

"Don't mention it."

I heard some sort of sound like metal clapping against metal and opened my eyes curiously. Edward was standing in front of me, his nonchalant charade gone as he lifted Bella's strange thing onto his shoulder. He looked anxious to be off. "Come on, Seth," he said. "We've got a lot of work to do. Let's be off."

What happened to him hitting me, or laughing at me for having to apologize? Did he care about Bella that much, or did he really just not care that I played a trick on him? Could he actually be kind of nice under that tough-guy demeanor?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I came to in some dingy, dark room in a place that looked like a medieval castle. What happened? Oh, yeah. Seth and I had been running from that demon's attack. I hope he got away, at least.

Speaking of demons...

I looked around and saw that demon that had tried to kill me and Seth, Hans I think his name was, stirring some sort of potion in a gurgling pot. He was happily chattering to himself like a maniac.

"Mother would be proud if she knew the family recipe was being put to use. The only ingredient left to add is the most important one. The one I like to call 'deliciously awful.'" He laughed to himself and then finally noticed me sitting up. "Awoken, have you, my fair maiden?" he asked me.

"Wh-Where am I?" I demanded, but it didn't come out the way I wanted it to. My voice was somewhat breathless, and very tiny and frightened.

Then I glanced at the bubbling pot and it all made sense. "Y-You intend to _eat _me?!"

"No!" he said swiftly. I almost sighed in relief. "The flesh and blood of pretty young women promote healthy hair. I'll boil you down into a potion and apply it to my head."

"What?!" I demanded. If I had to die, why couldn't I die for something a little nobler than _hair growth_? "I'd rather be eaten alive than put on your head like shampoo!"

"Shh!" he hissed urgently, lunging forward a step or two anxiously. "Not so loud! If Brother Ambrose finds you, he may just fulfill your wish!"

Just as he finished his sentence the whole wall where the door was came crashing down like someone had set a stick of dynamite to it. It turns out it wasn't explosives that caused the wall to shatter. It was someone's _fist._

The older, more handsome brother, Ambrose, Hans had just called him, stood in the gaping hole, his other arm wrapped around the shoulders of what seemed to be a medieval prostitute. She wore the skimpiest outfit I'd ever seen, and lots of makeup. Apparetly not much had changed since this time to mine.

"Hey, Hans," the handsomer one said easily, smiling slightly. There was something menacing about that smile though, something to be careful of. "You're home."

The woman under his arm crossed her own across her chest, laughing once. "Hmm..." she said in a sultry voice. "You don't look alike at all."

"Ambrosius!" Hans squeaked nervously.

"Who's the woman?" the older brother demanded, gesturing with his chin to me. I almost gasped indignantly. He talked about me like I wasn't capable of hearing!

"She's my prey!" Hans said defensively, stepping in between me and Ambrosius and thrusting out an arm like I was property to protect.

"Don't worry, I won't lay claim on her," the older brother said nonchalantly, shrugging. "I've got a better woman right here!"

I shook my head, trying to sift through all the indignation of it all and get down to business. I had to get myself out of this mess somehow. I doubted that Edward would be able to free himself. And even if I could, I wasn't sure he'd come to rescue me.

But at least that brother seemed more human. Maybe he'd be more receptive...

Ambrosius looked up cheerfully enough, back to his brother again. "While I'm thinking about it," he said, "did you find a new Sacred Jewel piece?"

"Huh?" Hans asked stupidly. Then he ducked his head, putting a hand to his mouth pensively. "Oh, err... That's right."

The older, more human looking brother surged forward, growling under his breath. Growling? Was he even human?

"Sorry, Brother!" Hans said quickly, ducking his head until I thought it might disappear into his chest. "I found one, but..."

"But what?" Creepily, the brother's expression didn't change even though his tone grew angry. "Don't tell me that you were more interested in a woman and failed to get the jewel fragment?"

As he spoke, he clenched his right hand into a fist. When he was done with his little rant, he thrust his right arm back towrad the whore and opened his fist. Some sort of lightening shot out of his hand, literally roasting the woman until she died on the spot.

Oh... my... God...

"Brother! Sorry!" Hans tried begging.

"You're so hopeless!" Ambrosius growled, while Hans quivered. "If you weren't my kid brother I would've done you in long ago!"

Then again, looks can be deceiving. Somebody would come and save me, right?

While I thought, it seems Hans was explaining everything to Ambrosius.

"So that little fox tyke has the Sacred Jewel fragments," the older brother said, jerking me out of my own head. Oh, no! They couldn't go after Seth!

"Are you gonna go for them, Brother?" Hans asked tremulously.

"Of course I am!" the brother responded harshly, like he thought Hans was too dumb to realize it by himself. "Come on!"

This had to be my chance to escape. I turned on my little bench table thing and tried to crawl away, but then a harsh voice stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turned in time to see Hans swing an enormous axe at me, attempting to cut me right in half. I screamed and jumped out of the way just in time, glaring daggers at him.

"What're you doing?!" I shrieked.

"I'll kill you so you don't escape," Hans said, as though that fact were obvious enough. "What else? I need you to make my hair potion."

"Wait!" I said desperately, wracking my brains for some possible way to talk myself out of this. "If you kill me, you won't..."

_Won't... Won't... Oh, God, Bella, _think_!_

"Won't what?" Hans demanded, sticking his ugly fat face right up in mine.

"You won't be able to get the Sacred Jewel fragments!" I said quickly. Yes, inspiration at last! I could handle the stupid one, but what about the other one? "Do you two know of Edward? The strong, brave, handsome warrior?"

That might be a bit of overkill, but I wanted their attention. And it looked like it worked because the older brother's head snapped around so that he looked at me coldly.

"Strong?" he repeated skeptically. "I've heard of him. But isn't he just a half-demon?"

"He's strong, all right!" I shot back indignantly. Why was I suddenly so protective of his image? Oh, well, on with the lies... "He's defeated demons from high and low and has most of the shards of the Sacred Jewel."

Actually, that wasn't really a lie. Except the part about having most of the shards... In reality, we'd only had time to collect two... Well, they didn't need to know that.

Both the brothers leaned toward me breathlessly, hanging on my every word. And best of all, it was like Inspiration had slapped me in the face and pointed out my lines. I knew exactly what to say and how to say it. I could do this!

Ambrosius casually sat down next to me on the wooden bench, staring at me cautiously. "You'd better not by lying," he warned.

"Humph!" I said, throwing him a look that I'd seen some girls already use in this era when talking about a lover: shy but saucy, and definitely defiant. "I wouldn't lie about this. The guy's madly in love with me. If you ask for an exchange, I'm sure he'll gladly give you his shards for me!"

I couldn't resist getting dramatic at the end. It was actually rather fun to see how hooked they were. Who knew I could lie so well? That, or they were just incredibly gullible.

"She's gotta be lying!" Hans shrugged me off.

The older brother smirked, looking me over a little with his red eyes like he was appraising me. "I think she's telling the truth," he said at last. He stood up on the bench, jerking me up with him by my shirt. "Woman! Take us to this Edward lover of yours at once. But be warned... If you've been lying, your pretty face will end up as charred and black as that woman's." He gestured to the prostitute he'd just casually burned to death.

He'd do it, too. He'd burn me to a crisp without a second's hesitation or thought. And probably enjoy it.

* * *

**Seth's POV**

I couldn't keep up with Edward's incredible speed, so he put me in the basket on Bella's contraption, which he carried over his shoulder. Myoga, Edward's flea demon vassal, seemed to know the location of the Thunder Brothers, and so we were nearing their castle. I was getting more nervous with every step Edward took, especially because those steps took us from cliff-face to cliff-face. There were jagged rocks everywhere with no flat surface to walk on, but that didn't bother Edward one bit. He just casually leaped from one to the next, faster than I could blink.

"What's wrong, Seth?" he asked finally, his voice a little irritated. "You're screaming your head off. If you're scared, just go back."

"Stupid!" I shot back indignantly. Who was he to call me frightened? "I'm going to avenge my father! With a little help from you, of course... You'd better be as strong as they say you are! Those Thunder Brothers have used the jewel fragments to increase their power!"

Edward paused on one of the jagged rocks he was scaling, and laughed a little in anticipation. "That'll make beating them even more fun!" he declared.

The dark sky finally started crackling with lightening, which we'd been waiting on for ages. How could lightening not strike when we were so near the Thunder Brothers' lair?

"Still, I'm worried about Bella!" piped in Myoga.

Edward scoffed. "The woman is fine. She can handle herself for a while. She's got a pretty tenacious streak in her—probably got 'em cleaning their cave."

"I hope so..." Myoga muttered, but he didn't sound so sure. "But if the rumors are to be believed, those two brothers devour pretty girls immediately!"

"Is that true?!" I squeaked. Bella couldn't be... Not after what she'd done for me! "What'll we do? Does that mean Bella has already—?"

"Get real," Edward said, rolling his eyes. "What's pretty about _her_?"

"WHAT?" I gasped. "Are you totally _blind_?! She _is_ pretty, and brave, and smart!"

"Yes, I think she's rather pretty, too," Myoga put in speculatively.

"Oh, this is all my fault!" I cried. "I bet she's already been eaten!"

"'Pretty woman, short life'—what a wise saying," Myoga agreed, nodding. NOT HELPING.

"Edward!" I growled. Why weren't we _moving_? "How can you just stand there looking so blank? Bella is a beauty! So she may already have been eaten up!"

"What's the rush?" he countered easily. "I still don't get it. Tell me what's pretty about her."

"I've been thinking of this before and I think your perception of beauty is a little off, Master," Myoga put in. "You haven't considered any girl pretty since Lady Tanya."

I groaned, rubbing my forehead in irritation. I was getting such a headache. Damn Edward and his stupid problems! "No wonder you look and dress so weird!" I said out loud.

"I agree..." Myoga put in thoughtfully. Now even Edward looked irritated. His eyes were closed and his jaw was clenched, indicating he was baring his teeth behind a shut mouth. "A red outfit is a bit troubling. I think you should dress with a little more refinement, Master."

"_Shut up, I'm going, all right?!_" Edward finally blew up. "Stop yapping at me and just point the way out to the brothers!"

I didn't really even see what happened next. One minute, Edward's barking at us to shut up. Next minute, the rock we were stopped on blew up and we were all falling through the air. The contraption I was in landed on the ground in a heap and I flew out of it. Thank goodness for fast reflexes. I landed on my feet, as did Edward, who immediately turned around to see what had happened.

Another strike of lightening came out of the sky aimed straight for him and he ran backwards, grabbing me up as he went. When the blast subsided, he let me go and we both looked to see where it had come from.

"Very impressive maneuvering, dodging my lightening bolt," a voice floated out of the sky to us. "For someone yapping out loud in someone's front yard, you move fast."

It was Ambrosius, the elder Thunder Brother. He stood in the sky on his fire wheel things, his lightening pike in his hands.

"You must be the reputed Edward the half-demon," he said, smirking.

Myoga jumped from my shoulder, where I hadn't even realized he'd been hiding, to Edward's. He warned urgently, "Master Edward, that is Ambrosius, the elder of the Thunder Brothers."

I followed his lead and jumped on Edward's shoulder to, catching his hair to hold myself up. Considered I was about the size of Edward's fat head, it was a nice place to be, protection-wise.

"Hey, you!" I shouted angrily. For once, my voice didn't betray me. "Where's Bella?! What have you done with her?!"

"Relax, I haven't started eating her yet," the young man promised easily. He turned slightly and said over his shoulder, "Hans!"

Then the ugly pale fat brother came into view, riding on his black cloud that blended in perfectly with the rest of the sky. He reached behind him and pulled Bella to the front of the cloud where we could see her, crying out ironically, "Tadah!"

She smiled down happily, but somehow relieved, like she hadn't thought we'd come. Well, I didn't know about Edward, but I would've never stopped trying. How could I have lived with that guilt on my shoulders if I hadn't?

"Bella!" Edward said immediately, leaning forward like he wanted to get her off that cloud as quickly as possible. It was true: how did a human stay on it? He moved so quickly that I fell off his shoulder, tumbling onto the ground. But I wasn't that angry. His face was so relieved that it made it hard to be mad with someone so totally clueless at how lovestruck they were. His whole face screamed _She's still alive!_

"By your expression, it looks like the woman spoke the truth," Ambrosius said, smirking excitedly. What could Bella have told him to save her own life? "Hand over every piece of the Sacred Jewel you possess!" the demon that looked so human shouted down in sudden anticipation. "Or you'll never see your lover alive again!"

He used his pike to create several lightening strikes around us for dramatic effect, but it was lost on Edward—and Bella, too, by the looks of it. While her face was beet red, his was just clueless and slightly humiliated, his eyes widened in horror.

"See my lover?" he repeated dimly.

Couldn't he see that Bella had just used that as a way to escape? Why couldn't he just play along to save her? God, was he always so _dense_?

He ambled forward, stumbling a little in his shock, and called up, "Um, there must be some misunderstanding!" He glanced at Bella and cocked an eyebrow. "Let me get this straight, you and I are supposed to be _lovers_?"

She glanced pointedly at the two brothers and back at him, clearly saying, _Play along, idiot! _but he didn't get it. So she called back, still rather pointedly, "This is no time to get all shy!"

The ugly brother next to her suddenly grinned indulgently, mussing Bella's hair and saying, "You little vixen! I knew you were fibbing!"

She widened her eyes and smiled at him, playing it as innocent as she could. Too bad she had such an idiot as Edward as her acting partner. He was totally worthless.

"You actually think I'd hand over the jewel shards as a ransom to get you back?" Edward shouted up.

Bella lost her innocent expression quicker than I'd ever seen her make a reaction. She glared down at him, shouting furiously, "Of course you would! Because that's what a lover would do!"

"But we aren't lovers!" he protested angrily. "And without love, the whole argument kinda falls apart!"

"So, what?!" she demanded, and her anger was enough to scare even the demon sharing a cloud with her. "You're just gonna abandon me?!"

"Abandon?!" This time, Edward was beyond confused and mad. He looked like he was ready to punch a hole in something just to relieve some stress. Why did he have to be so stupid? "You make it sound like you and I are together or something!"

"So now some little rocks are more important me?" she shot back, her fists clenching. "How dare you say that after all we've been through together! You'd better start admitting to yourself how much you really love me!"

"I believe I've heard my fill," Ambrosius interrupted casually, like that whole screaming match was nothing more than bad entertainment. "One thing seems true... You have fragments of the Sacred Jewel. I'm gonna kill you and take 'em all!"

He lunged down towards Edward, who drew the Fang and stood ready to fight.

"Not in my lifetime," Edward retorted.

The pike and sword came together and Edward had to use both his arms to hold off Ambrosius.

The older brother smirked. "I wonder just how long you can hold out against my strikes?"

Edward finally pushed him off and sent the brother flying into the air where he regained himself. Ambrosius shouted down to him, "You've got brute strength, at least. This is going to be more fun than I expected!"

Edward just glared, waiting expectantly.

* * *

**So that was a little funnier than the others with everyone mistaking Bella and Edward for lovers or mates. I thought that was pretty weak, myself. **

**But anyway, review please!**


	11. Phantom Showdown

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Sorry for the long update. I went out of town for a while for a vacation**—**my best friend since before kindergarten just graduated high school, so we went to several parties for that. It was all fun. Just got back about an hour ago, actually, but I didn't want anyone to go into "withdrawal" haha so I wrote this one up quick. It's nice, but not very interesting. Mostly fighting again. There is a bit of a funny scene at the end with Edward making a rather severe mistake about Bella and blowing it out of proportion but...**

**Read!**

* * *

Phantom Showdown: The Thunder Brothers vs. the Great Fang

**Hans' POV**

_I rode in a flying carriage similar to what the ancient Greeks were supposed to have ridden in, complete with a flying horse. Up in the beautiful clouds, I was surrouned by equally as beautiful women all cooing at the sight of me. On each arm were the two most beautiful of all. I complacently combed my luscious, thick black hair, which was styled exactly as Brother Ambrosius' hair: tousled, yet somehow debonaire. _

_The young women around me giggled and waved. _

"_Master Ambrosius is very handsome,_" _they all whispered agreeingly, _"_but Master Hans is positively dashing!_"

"_Those black locks,_" _one particularly lovely specimen said. _"_Irresistable!_"

"_Just as I suspected,_" _I said triumphantly out loud. _"_With thick locks of hair, I'm just as popular as Brother Ambrose._"

_Smirking as confidently as Brother always did, I ran a hand through my hair, making it even more tousled. The ladies squealed_—_as did I when I saw whole strands of hair clinging to my fingertips when I brought my hand back to my face. I immediately threw my hands up to my head, only to feel all my new lovely tresses practically melting away in the wind, leaving me as bald as the egg-head I'd been all my life. _

_The beautiful angels all around me gasped, their hands flying to cover their full mouths in horror. When they caught sight of my newly bald head, they flew away, leaving me alone and bald. _

_Suddenly, the flying horse that had been dragging my carriage through the sky somehow died on the spot, turning into nothing but bones in mere seconds. I started, staring at it in surprise. Then my entire carriage broke, and I tumbled back down to the earth, hairless and terrified. _

Screaming out loud, I fell to the floor beside my bed in a heap. I sighed, sitting up and looking around dejectedly. Ever since I'd reached puberty, all my dreams had been the same. _If only I had lots and lots of hair... I may not be Brother Ambrosius' equal, but I'd be quite popular. Someday, I wish I could be like Brother Ambrosius, with lots of hair and lots of girls._

* * *

**Shippo's POV**

The sky continued to crackle and boom, lighting up with the streaks of lightening. The darkness of normal nighttime had been replaced by thick, ugly purple clouds, one of which Bella and that hideous bald brother were sitting on.

"Hmm..." the elder brother, Ambrosius, mused aloud, smirking as confidently as if he thought he was humoring Edward. "You wish for me to draw out this battle, then? Fine! I shall relish in your prolonged suffering."

Edward raised one eyebrow skeptically before laughing as cockily as Ambrosius seemed. "Hah!" he finally said. "Of all the fools who said the same thing, none are alive today."

"Perhaps in your dreams," the Brother countered, flying backwards a few meters and holding his pike at the ready. "Enough delay! It's time for you to meet your own unfortunate demise!"

He lunged out of the air at Edward, who only just managed to jump out of the way in time. Ambrosius' lightening formed an enormous crater in the ground, and Edward jumped out of it, breathing heavily. And he'd told me he was strong! How could he be winded already?

Before Edward could land on the ground again, though, Ambrosius was suddenly in front of him, his pike nearly decapitating Edward already. The poor sap barely got the fang up in time to save himself, and the two were locked in an impasse again.

"Dodge it well, or you'll die," the Brother taunted.

One touch of that lightening pike and Edward would be dead. But at least it kept the more difficult brother occupied. Now had to be my chance. If Edward could just hold off Ambrosius, I would find a way to save Bella.

As though she read my thoughts, Bella suddenly called out Edward's name again in warning. He glanced at her momentarily, then his eyes flashed back to his opponent, who had been trying to kill him from behind. No good cheaters, never playing fair.

"Go for it, Brother!" the ugly bald one cheered. "Give him a send-off that is unrivaled! I'll support you."

Instantly, his mouth was brimming up with his deadly lightening attack. I cowered back against the boulders I'd been climbing, expecting him to fire at any moment and silently begging Bella to get down and out of the way. But to my surprise, her chocolate brown eyes flashed indignantly.

"How dare you try to gang up on one person!" she shouted. Then almost before I could register it all, her pale hands shot out from beside her, shoving the ugly brother right off his stupid cloudy perch. He screamed as he fell to the ground, his lightening attack creating a crater for him to fall in.

For a fleeting moment, I felt a sense of pride for Bella, but it faded as soon as I saw Hans' cloud dissipate and Bella plunge for the ground herself. Hans and the crater were the only things beneath her, both appearing as inanimate as the dead. If she'd already killed Hans, she might survive the fall by landing on his body. I surely couldn't reach her in time.

She screamed loudly as she fell, and I saw Edward's head snap around reflexively and his eyes widen in horror as he watched her falling. He yelled out her name, starting to run for her, but Ambrosius blocked him with his pike. The glare Edward shot him was murderous, but not helping Bella in any way, shape or form!

"A true warrior never puts a woman before a battle!" the brother taunted.

Seeing he was stuck again, Edward just barely managed to hold off Ambrosius and shouted, "Hang on, Bella! I'll come for you as soon as I finish him off!"

"Good, 'cause gravity's not exactly on my side here!" Bella shrieked back sarcastically.

As soon as she said that, she landed right-side-up on the body of Hans, and bounced off to a sitting position on the ground. Looking irritated, she rubbed her butt and looked around, somewhat relieved. "Well," she said out loud, "at least the fall didn't kill me."

Making both of us scream, Hans body twitched as he sat up again—clearly not dead yet.

"No, but I might," he said, turning around for her.

Bella whirled around, gasping as she stared at him. Why wasn't she _running_?

"I thought you were dead!"

Finally, she jumped to her feet and started running away from him. Luckily Baldy was fat, too: he couldn't run fast.

I sighed in exasperation when I realized that was exceptionally lucky: Bella was a klutz. She tripped over a stone not five feet from where she been sitting and crashed to the ground face-first. She was hopeless, wasn't she?

I ran forward, stopping just between her and the beasty. "Time to use my fox magic," I said out loud. "Spinning screw top!"

I grabbed the top from one of my pockets, holding firmly onto the pre-wound string. Thrusting it forward, I held onto the string tightly so that the top started to spin on top of Baldly's egg head. Within seconds, my top grew from normal tiny size to be bigger than me and Bella combined, grinding Hans into the ground while he screamed in pain.

"Come on, Bella!" I cried out, running for the lip of the crater. She scrambled after me, smiling in relief.

"Nice move," she praised, still breathing pretty heavily.

I couldn't meet her eyes, not when she was looking at me like I was some sort of hero. So I glared at the ground, my cheeks getting hot. "Well..."

"You can't let your guard down yet," a voice piped up from my shoulder. Should've known: Myoga, always there to ruin my moments.

"I know," I muttered.

"Fox magic is actually trickery," Myoga explained to a now-confused Bella.

"Trickery?" she repeated blankly. Then her brown eyes wandered back over to the top where it was still spinning on top of Hans' head, pushing him further and further into the dirt. "Then what's that?"

"It's all an illusion," he said sagely. "Behold."

The top promptly shrunk back to its original size (the size it had never truly left), and stopped spinning on his head. The demon sat up, rubbing his bald head in pain as he looked at my trick.

"Damn that fox tyke," he muttered, grabbing up my spinning top. And then, to add to my shame, the last of Baldy's black hairs fell from his head, and his eyes filled with murderous tears again.

"N-No!" he cried, caressing his own head. "Gone! My beautiful hair—all gone! My hair!"

He threw his head back and belted out his lightening attack towards the sky. The blast came right at us, and Bella and I ran for our lives. But we couldn't run all that fast, especially with Hans destroying all the wildlife within a league.

So Bella ducked behind a now-dead tree, and I leaped onto her shoulder, hiding with her. She pressed herself as close to the charred wood as possible, staring over her shoulder and breathing even more heavily.

"It's as though we only added fuel to the fire..." she murmured, frightened at last.

I was about to agree when a voice more terrifying than any bellowing growled a few meters behind us. Hans' voice had lost its outrage, and now he was simply quietly seething. In a calm, low, growling voice he asked, "Where are you?" His footsteps echoed just behind us, and Bella and I stopped breathing altogether. "I'll hunt you both down and use every last bit of you. One for a new hair potion, and the other for a new pelt."

When his footsteps faded a little, Bella hissed in a low voice to me, "Got any bright ideas? If we're found, we'll be killed."

She gasped slightly, peeping over the roots of the tree to where the demon was most likely stalking around us. "I know!" she whispered excitedly, almost proudly, like she was happy she thought of it by herself. "That arrow! Maybe I can use it again..." She turned back to me, her caramel eyes glowing in a new hope. "I'll need your help."

I whimpered at the thought of facing that demon head-on.

* * *

**Hans' POV**

My teeth ground into each other, my hands balled into tight fists, I walked around each and every smoldering tree. I fervently wished I had the keener senses of a vampire demon or any other stronger demon, but I didn't so I had to make due with what I did have.

I circled around another mound of dirt and found the beautiful young girl that I had kidnapped earlier lying on the ground in a crumpled heap, not breathing. She was probably dead, then.

"Did you think you could elude me?" I asked anyway, yanking her up roughly by her silky hair.

Suddenly, her chocolate eyes popped open and she glared at me, smirking arrogantly. "Yeah, actually, you disgusting skinhead," she sneered in a voice quite unlike her former bell-like tones. Her voice actually resembled the fox tyke's more than her own at that point. Perhaps she had lost her voice with all the smoke hovering around.

Suddenly, her long silky hair grew a few extra feet and wrapped itself around my wrists, binding my hands to her head. She grinned at me pompously. "Look," she taunted, "all the hair that you love!"

I heard rapid footsteps running my way and turned to see another girl that looked identical to the one holding my hands captive stop at my side, glaring at me heatedly.

"What trickery is this?" I demanded. "Two women?"

"I'm taking back my arrow!" the woman that had just arrived declared in her usual bell-like voice. She reached up and ripped the arrow out of my nose while I gasped in pain. So if that wench was the true woman...

"You're that miserable fox!" I shouted in recognition, glaring at the woman that still held my wrists with her hair. She grinned and suddenly her dark brown hair went midnight black, just like that stupid fox baby's hair.

"In the flesh!" she said in the same baby fox voice. So I was right. The fox tyke was using his trickery to disguise himself as the human wench. "Here to avenge my father's death!"

"Hold him down, Seth," the woman standing beside me instructed, raising her arrow menacingly. I wriggled and struggled against the hold of the fox tyke's raven hair, but it was no use. It held to my wrists fast and unbreakable. But there was still a chance with the other one...

Just as she was bringing the arrow down on my forehead, a reached up and punched her out of my way, and she landed on the ground in a heap, shaking her head as though to clear it. The fox baby gasped in horror when I struck the woman, and in surprise lost control of his form. He popped back into his original self, also falling to the ground.

Before the baby could do anymore trickery, I drop-kicked him out of the way and he went flying over to where Brother and that Edward half-demon spawn were fighting. I turned back to the girl, declaring firmly, "I'll choke you to death!"

Before she could react, my hands wound around her tiny throat and squeezed tightly.

I dimly heard the half-demon scream the girl's name in horror, but I wasn't listening to him. My only concern was killing the main ingredient for my hair potion.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I barely forced Ambrosius away from me for the millionth time, and he flew backwards a few meters. But that was all it took. As soon as he was back there, I saw the other brother sitting on the ground just behind him, pinning Bella down by the throat. I gasped, irrational terror flooding through me. I called out her name, but neither of them took any notice.

Before I knew what had happened, Ambrosius' pike hit me square in the chest, right where my heart was. Lucky I was at least half vampire—the strike hurt (a _lot_) but it wasn't enough to kill me. A few more of them, though, and I was a goner.

"Didn't you think my advice about that woman worth heeding?" the demon snarled at me.

He thrust his pike into me another time, but it didn't force the lightening into my chest again. This time he used it like a normal spear, and tried to stab me. Instead it flung me backwards, and I landed on the hard, cold ground, my sword stabbing into the ground next to me. When I sat up, I saw the Fang had transformed back into it's rusty old original state.

I was too weak to move out of the way when Ambrosius hovered on his fire wheels in front of me, his pike poised to kill at my already wounded chest.

"Pathetic," he announced. "You don't live up to your reputation at all. Human compassion will prove your undoing, half-breed!" Then he smirked suddenly, his eyes lighting up with a new idea. "Which should die first?" he mused aloud. "This pathetic half-breed... or that odd woman he seems to be so preoccupied with?"

If he even tried it...

I started to growl at him, but then I caught my own instincts in shock. I didn't have time to waste on the loser. I had to get to Bella first.

"Look at this fool, Hans!" Ambrosius suddenly called. "He's already given up."

"I'm having fun here, too, Brother!" Hans called back, and I saw his knuckles turn white as he squeezed Bella's throat even tighter. "What is it about the sight of a women on the verge of death that is so exquisitely irresistable?"

That alone made me see red.

Distracting me, Seth charged out of nowhere and tried to punch Hans, but of course his tiny fists had no effect. "Let her go!" he shouted, but Hans just punched him out of the way.

Then Hans laughed, causing even Ambrosius to pause and listen. "After I kill her," Hans informed Seth, "I'll fleece you. Just like I did your old man. Maybe I'll turn you into a hood. I'll use father and son until both their fur falls off!"

"Hans, you're becoming pretty clever with words," Ambrosius said approvingly.

Then Hans laughed a grotesque, shrieking laughter that was more frightening in its insanity that its decibel. "Brother praised me!" he cheered, his grip loosening up on Bella a bit in his distraction.

"You monster!" Seth suddenly cried, leaping forward again and biting down hard on Hans' jugular. But not hard enough. It didn't even break the skin. "Hmm? Are you trying to hasten your fate?" the younger brother demanded.

"I won't let go even if it kills me!" Seth declared.

"Release me," the demon said, pulling on Seth's hair. When Seth didn't budge, he began punching him repeatedly. "Release me immediately! Remove those baby teeth now, or I shall have to rethink the order of my victims!"

Pushing his pike harder against my chest, Ambrosius called back, "Hans, be careful. If you don't watch out you'll soil his fur with blood. Then he won't even make a hood."

"Thank you for the tip, Ambrose!"

I couldn't sit there anymore. Bella was losing consciousness and Seth couldn't hold out anymore. Lethal pike or not, I had to make a move.

I stood up, and Ambrosius' head immediately snapped around to watch me warily. "Hey, I'll be the first one to admit I'm not the nicest guy around," I said, shrugging. "But you two are making me absolutely sick to my stomach!"

I dug my nails into my wounded chest, crying out, "Blades of Blood!"

Ambrosius' eyes widened in shock, but he managed to use his pike to deflect my attack. He smirked. "Finally this is starting to get interesting."

All I needed was that momentary diversion. I ran forward and grabbed my Fang before he even knew what I'd done, and it transformed to its true self at my touch. I jumped as high as I could into the air, gaining momentum, and then threw it down at him with silent speed. He'd never see it coming.

Ambrosius dodged my sword easily and then side-grinned up at me cockily as I landed back to the ground. "Fool," he taunted. "Where are you aiming?"

"Got him!" I said triumphantly, unable to resist my relieved smile. Bella and Seth weren't hurt.

I watched Ambrosius' pupils shrink in sudden, acute fear as he whirled around to see his brother, strung through by my sword. The beast groaned, releasing Bella as he fell on his face.

"H-Hans!" Ambrosius called out, his voice cracking.

Bella promply scrambled to her feet, running over to pick up the unconscious Seth. "Are you all right?" she asked him. Then she glanced at my sword. "The Fang..."

"Father..." Seth mumbled in his sleep from Bella's arms. I couldn't quite see through the smoke but it looked like Bella froze, staring at him for a second, her hand on the hilt of the Fang. "Yes, of course," she said out loud to herself. "But I can't carry them both..."

I didn't care what she brought out of there, just so long as she ran. _Why wasn't she running_?

"Hans!"

Ambrosius flew down to his fatally wounded brother, and I shouted, "Bella! Get out of there before he kills you!"

She looked up at me confusedly and turned in time to see the only remaining brother just behind her. Ambrose threw back his pike and struck the air just in front of her, causing a lightening strike to sweep her and Seth across the rocks where they landed, unconscious.

"Hans!"

Ambrosius landed right beside his brother, whom he scooped up into his arms on the spot.

"Brother..." Hans groaned. "My hair's all gone! It's no use living."

"What are you saying?" Ambrosius demanded desperately. "Hang on and be strong!"

"Your locks are just like Father's," Hans said unexpectedly. Seriously, I got the fact that he was bald and all, but did he have to be so obsessed with hair? It wouldn't have made that much of a difference in his appearance anyways. "I wish I inherited Father's good looks. If only Mother was a little prettier and had more hair. I wonder what Father even saw in Mother when he married her..."

"It doesn't matter how you look!" Ambrosius argued, his eyes swimming. "You're my dear, little brother!"

"Thank you," Hans groaned again. "If I'm reborn, I thought I'd like to be a fuzzy caterpillar. With hair all over my body. But I don't think so. If the world works in reincarnation, even if I don't have any hair at all, I would want to be reborn as your kid brother. Is that all right, Brother?"

"Hans!" Amrbosius cried out when Hans slumped to the ground. "Hans!"

I didn't have any more time to waste watching that sob story. I ran over to Bella and started to lift her up when she pushed my hands away and sat up herself. At least she wasn't hurt.

"Sorry, Edward," she said, looking absolutely crestfallen. "I couldn't get the Fang."

"Is that what took you so long?" I demanded. The idiot!

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled, ashamed. "And after you rescued me and everything."

For some reason, the sight of her looking so ashamed and sad was a little overwhelming. So, in my natural response to any alarming emotion, I got angry. "Fool!" I snapped. "Don't worry about such a thing! Even without a sword, there's no way I'd lose to that beast!"

Suddenly a dull roar of pain, anguish and outrage broke through my concentration.

"_You wretches! You slaughtered my brother!_"

I glanced up at the demon to see him sobbing over the corpse of his brother, his cheek resting on the two jewel shards imbedded in Hans' forehead.

"I'll always be with you!" Ambrosius said to the body—and promptly bit into its forehead.

Bella gasped, cringing into my side.

"Is he e_ating his brother_?"

"No," Myoga answered sagely, jumping onto her shoulder. "Ambrosius is synthesizing the Sacred Jewel pieces into his own body. Master Edward, you must be even more careful. He now has the power of five jewel fragments."

"I know," I snapped as he jumped from her shoulder to mine. "Hey, you wanna try explaining your noticeable absence up until now?"

"Err..." he said uncertainly.

Bella immediately got her back up too, saying, "Convenient how you disappeared just when the going got rough."

"Did you catch that?" I asked tauntingly. "That's what we call 'sarcasm.' As in, it _wasn't_ convenient you bailed on us right when we needed you! You know, I've been thinking about smushing you and getting it over with one of these days!"

"I didn't 'bail' on you!" the flea demon shot back indignantly. "And your mother would be ashamed of you, Master, she taught you better grammar than that! Let's stop quibbling about such minor matters!"

I'd been so caught up in the argument that I almost didn't hear the whirring of lightening in the air. I glanced up at the sky just behind Bella's head and saw a lightening ball flying at us with alarming speed. Instinctively I reached around behind me and grabbed Seth and his father's fur coat, and wrapped an arm around Bella's waist, jumping out of the way.

When I'd set the others safely on the ground I turned and saw a deep gorge cut into the ground, leading right to Ambrosius, floating on his fire wheels just above the ground.

"You... dared... to kill my beloved brother," he growled. "You won't get away with it!"

Even from the distance we stood apart, I could sense his growing power. Five shards were combining into one in him, and altogether they made one heck of a fight for me. This probably wouldn't go well.

I stood up, Bella following suit. I didn't look at her as I ordered, "Bella, take Seth and get as far from here as possible."

"I won't!" she shot back indignantly.

"Go!"

She stared at me for a long moment (almost glared at me, her gaze was so hard) and then finally took off running behind me. I watched her go for a long moment, grateful that they, at least, would survive this. Me, though, I wasn't so sure about.

I turned back around to face Ambrosius, who was already poised to kill me. "I shall avenge my brother! Prepare yourself!"

But instead of lunging at me like I'd expected him too, it seemed Ambrosius was powerful enough to attack me from a distance. A ball of lightening formed at the tip of his pike and then launched itself at me. I could see in an instant that it was too powerful for me to have a hope of repelling.

"Master Edward!" a voice squeaked from my shoulder. "Use the sheathe of the Fang!"

"The sheathe?"

"It will repel the bolt without fail!" Myoga promised rashly. But him even being on my shoulder in that moment had to mean I had a good chance at living. "Now do it!"

Praying to whatever god existed he was right, I grabbed the sheathed and held it out in front of me horizontally, and the ball of lightening enveloped us. It was too bright for me to see anything, possibly even _feel _anything. For a moment, I didn't even know if I'd died or not. But then the light faded and I felt my heart still pounding irratically in my chest and knew I'd survived.

I stared at the Fang's sheathe in new awe and respect and Myoga chimed in, "Just as I thought. This is a sheathe that keeps the Fang's awesome power in check. It should be able to repel a mere thunderbolt attack." He ran the back of his hand across his forehead, breathing a sigh of relief. "My hunch was right."

"You mean you sent me into battle armed with a mere _hunch_?" I demanded.

"Well... That was a close call for me as well, seeing as I couldn't get away," he said defensively. "Look, we got away with our lives intact. Let's make our escape!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" I scoffed, staring at the sheathe again, new hope and excitement spreading through me. I usually felt such emotions in a battle that I was confident about winning, but up until then I'd been anything _but_ confident.

However, with Bella and Seth safely hidden away somewhere and that sheathe, I could fight and win with no distractions!

I jumped up at the demon holding the sheathe ready, and he sent another lightening ball at me that I cut through with ease with my sheathe. If I could attack right to the core, I could beat him. I was sure.

But as soon as I emerged from the lightening ball, I saw that Ambrosius was nowhere to be seen. I looked around wildly, only to cry out in pain when his pike stabbed me in the back. He'd been hovering above me the whole time.

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**Bella's POV**

From behind our rock trench, I watched as the only Thunder Brother left sent Edward falling back to the ground. I started to go help him instinctively when Seth's small voice broke through my concentration.

"Father's fur..." he mumbled, his dark eyes opening slowly as he looked at his father's coat he was lying on.

"Seth, you're awake," I said in relief, falling to my knees next to him.

"Bella...?" he murmured groggily. Then he jerked upright, crying out, "Where's Hans?"

"Edward killed him," I explained. "But now Ambrosius—"

As though he wanted to explain it himself, Ambrosius hollered, "Wanna be burned to a crisp or chopped up like salad?" as he continuously charged at Edward.

"Edward's getting tired," I finished, watching as Edward struggled to deflect yet another blow with only a sheathe. How could I help him? Ambrosius was just too fast on those...

I gasped, a new idea lighting my mind. I instinctively patted around my shoulder for the bow that wasn't there. Damn!

"What good's an arrow without a bow?" I groaned, slumping against the rocks.

"Leave it to me!" Seth declared suddenly, placing a tiny green leaf on the top of his head.

"What—?" I started to ask.

"I must repay my debts or Father will scold me!" Seth explained rapidly. What? Was he confused or crazy?

He started to spin in his little blue ball of light, and I knew that meant transformation now. I gasped happily, realizing he was going to transform into a bow for me.

Only to groan, "I wanted a bow, not a snail..." when he landed on the ground in a swirly tan mess.

"I _am_ a bow."

It was a little fatter than I was used to, but I could still try. At that exact moment, Ambrose struck down Edward and prepared to go in for the final blow. I took aim at his wheels, but I wasn't confident enough to actually fire. I only had one arrow after all.

"What's taking so long, Bella?" my temporary bow-slash-new friend asked.

"I only have one arrow," I explained. "And I'm not exactly a marksman, you know."

"We will be together," Seth countered.

My blush faded realizing he would help me aim. So I released the arrow, waiting with baited breath until it struck Ambrosius' fire wheel and made it shatter.

"Yeah!" I cheered, falling to my knees behind my rocks with Seth, hiding again.

Ambrosius looked at his broken wheel in shock and Edward didn't waste a moment before springing to his feet and trying to snatch the pike out of his enemy's hands.

"Are you stupid?" Ambrosius shouted. A suddenly blast of light from the pike made Edward cry out involuntarily in pain, but both of them held fast.

"What was he thinking?" Myoga suddenly cried from the rocks just in front of me. "No matter how strong Master Edward is, what can he do by grabbing hold of the thunder pike?"

"Myoga, what are you doing here?" I demanded flatly.

"Let go of the pike, fool!" Myoga screamed, ignoring my completely.

"This sheathe is only in the way!" Edward declared, throwing away the Fang's sheathe.

"No, you stupid fool!" Myoga cried. "Who told you to let go of the sheathe?"

"This way's better!" Edward countered, punching Ambrosius right in the face, sending his opponent flying into some nearby rocks. Edward straightened up, calling, "Not bad for a half-breed, eh, Ambrosius?"

"He just... slugged him?" I asked blankly. I guess that would count as one way of defeating him...

"Whatever works for you, I say," Seth agreed, just as surprised.

Suddenly, Myoga was dancing like a cheerleader on the rocks. "Leave it to Master Edward! Now it's a duel of physical strength! Give 'im the old one-two!"

"Weren't you just calling him a fool?" I demanded.

Ambrosius sat up, cutting off whatever reply Myoga would have made. He rubbed his bruised cheek thoughtfully. "That's the first time someone's struck me in the face," he announced. "It won't happen again."

Suddenly, he started glowing the same color as his new lightening—so bright it was almost _blue._ Was he going to go all kamikaze mode on Edward?

"He's about to explode!" I surmised out loud.

"I'll see you in hell, swine!" Ambrosius declaimed, charging at Edward, who crouched down, ready to return the attack. Was he suicidal?!

Thankfully, at the last minute Edward swooped down and gathered up the sheathe to protect himself. Then I saw Edward's eyes widen in dread and shouted out loud, "The sheathe has a crack!"

"No!" Myoga cried, dismayed. "If the sheathe breaks, even the powerful Master Edward..."

"Will die?" I shrieked in fright.

No! He couldn't die! I glanced around wildly, looking for some way to help him. As though a sign of the gods, my eyes fell on the Fang. I had to get it to Edward.

I must have spoken aloud again or something because Seth suddenly cried, "All right! I'll go!" and charged out into the open battle field towards the sword.

"Seth, no!" I cried, grabbing up his father's fur and chasing after him. If that kid died because of my mistake, I'd never forgive myself.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

As soon as the sheathe started to crack I knew I wouldn't make it out of that battle. The most I could hope for was destroying Ambrosius with me.

"Wait, Seth!"

Ambrosius and I both looked over our locked weapons to see Bella chasing Seth across the field, carrying Seth's father's fur.

Ambrosius' mouth started to glow bright yellow, and I knew what it meant.

He could use Hans' power as well.

"_Bella, run for it!_"

Before any of us could react, the lightening attack was fired and swallowed up Bella and Seth.

"Bella!"

"Hah," Ambrosius scoffed. "Wouldn't waste my breath on her."

No. She couldn't be...

"Bella!!"

Finally the dirt clouds cleared and we could both see Bella and Seth lying either unconscious or dead in a sea of flame, Seth's father's body fallen across them like a sick blanket. They couldn't be...

"Looks like they're dead," Ambrosius said casually. "Both the kid and the woman."

"Why you...!" I growled. For some reason, seeing Bella swallowed up by the fire made me see red as I never had before. I couldn't think, I couldn't see anything—except Ambrosius and my desire to rip him limb from limb.

With this new rage seething inside me, I was able to force back Ambrosius and hit his forehead with my own, knocking him back a few paces.

"You'll regret the day you ever heard my name," I growled, my newfound strength pulsing through every vein in my body. "I refuse to die until I kill you!"

"Has the blood gone to your head since your beloved woman has been killed?" he taunted. "Stop acting so stupid over some silly wench! No woman is worth risking a battle over! I'll teach you the pain and sorrow of one who has lost his only little brother!"

He charged at me again, and I barely managed to put the sheathe between us. But it didn't offer much protection, as even Myoga echoed when he screamed from wherever he was, "The sheathe is about to break!"

I dimly felt the sheathe pulsing in my hands, but I wrote it off as the thing breaking apart.

Until the Fang itself cae whizzing through the air of its own accord, flying right into my hand.

"The sheathe has summoned the sword!" Myoga cheered.

Moving as fast as I was possible able, I transformed the sword and brought it down on Ambrosius' head. For a moment, it didn't look like I'd done anything: the demon just crouched there in shock for a few moments.

But then he fell apart in two halves and then disappeared altogether, crumbling to dust like all demons did when they died.

The jewel shards popped out of his forehead and landed on the ground right in front of me, but I barely saw them. I fell to my knees, dropping the sword next to me.

"Master Edward..." Myoga prompted from in front of me. "The jewel shards...?"

"I don't care about them," I growled, glaring at the ground like it was all it's fault. Why did my whole life have to be one big mistake after another? "If only I'd taken care of Ambrosius earlier..."

A bright blue light suddenly glowed behind the two of us, and I turned at the sound of Bella's voice.

"Edward."

What? But she was...!

I spun around, almost sane enough to tell myself that I wasn't hoping...

But there was something off about their appearances. Bella stood there holding Seth, both of them wide awake—but both of them glowing bright blue-ish silver. What the—?

"Edward, thank you so much," Bella said, her voice extremely relieved, but strangely sedate after everything that had happened.

"I'm happy that my father's murder has been avenged," Seth agreed, nodding once.

I stared at them both blankly, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. There was no way either of them could have survived that fire.

"Oh!" Myoga suddenly gasped from my shoulder. "Those are the souls of Bella and Seth. They've come to bid a final farewell."

"What?!" I gasped, irrational fear sweeping through me.

Just then, the blue-ish silver light around the two of them glowed brighter, and some weird wind picked up from beneath them. I jumped to my feet and ran at them calling out instinctively, "Wait! Don't leave me! _Bella!_" My hand wrapped around Bella's wrist tightly but...

...nothing happened.

The light faded, the wind died, Bella and Seth stayed put, staring at me like I was crazy.

"Um, yeah?" Bella asked uncertainly.

"You're alive?" I asked blankly. "You're still here?"

"Well, yeah," she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "What's with the, 'Don't leave me' stuff?"

"Father used his fox fire to protect us during the battle," Seth explained sagely.

"Er... I should clarify," Myoga said swiftly. "When I said, 'souls' I really meant to say 'fox fire that shot out from the fur of Seth's father.'"

My face felt like it was on fire. "Yeah, sure," I said stiffly. "I make that mistake all the time."

Bella cleared her throat, causing me to look back at her. That was when I realized from her pointed glance that I was still holding her wrist like a vice. I gasped and threw it down, blushing for sure.

I turned away from them so they couldn't say my face. "Besides," I said defensively, "why'd you have to get so sappy on me? If you're gonna die, die! If you're not, then don't! Just make it clear!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Later the next day, Edward, Seth and I took off for the next village, five new jewel shards and Myoga in tow. Edward kept sulking and falling behind, and finally it annoyed me enough to snap, "What's the matter with you? Why are you so angry?"

"He's embarrassed that he misunderstood something and, in a moment of grief, revealed more than he bargained for. Master Edward is still very naive sometimes," Myoga explained sagely.

"What are you still tagging along with us for, Seth?" Edward suddenly demanded, probably needing a scapegoat. "Why don't you just go home already?"

"What?" Seth shot back. "Why can't I stay with you?"

"Let him stay, Edward," I said. I wasn't asking because Seth was going to stay anyway, but if Edward really was embarrassed, I might as well let him think he was in charge. "He's all alone."

"Yeah!" Seth said. "I'm a defenseless orphan, and besides, I'm actually a very cute kid!"

"Hah!" Edward snorted. "You only act the good kid when it's convenient." He sighed and said irriatably, "All right. You can stay with us."

After a few moments of walking in silence, Edward said, "So, Seth, you're village called, they said they're missing they're idiot."

I would've laughed if I knew he was joking. But something told me he was only half playing. He was still trying to take the spotlight off himself.

"Bella, he's being mean to me!" Seth wailed.

"Edward, be nice!" I warned.

"Psh!"

"_Sit!_"

"AHH!"

* * *

**And there it is. Well, hope that was good enough for now. Here's the sneak peek:**

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**Bella's POV**

_The ancient shrine where I live is surrounded by hundreds of wacky myths and legends. I never took Grandma's omens and exorcisms seriously. But the old hidden well rumored to lead to another dimension to the Feudal Era is full of old stickers and charms to ward off so-called "spirits." But my skepticism is erased overnight when an old mask that had been locked up in the storeroom burns through the written charms and comes after us_—_a demon in my own time! Next time, "Terror of the Ancient Mask!" _

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**See you soon! Don't forget to review, please!**


	12. Terror of the Ancient Mask

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Wow, could I be any worse of a person for this long update? I am **_**so**_** sorry. In my defense, though, I have been exceptionally busy lately: I have a new sister, my biological father wants to get remarried again and have me for a bridesmaid, I have a ton of summer assignments to complete still, not to mention I'm still 16 and applying to colleges because my guidance counselor thinks I should've already graduated. And even though I wake up at five every morning to fix my family breakfast and take care of the kid, can you believe I still don't have much time throughout the day? If this is the life of a parent or Stepford daughter/student, I'll pass :D**

**So yeah, private life or not, I've been super busy. **

**Anywho, I have actually caught a recent break from my activities. I felt absolutely terrible because I've left almost all my stories dangling. So I'm going to try and update this one at least twice tonight, and once tomorrow, and a few others before the weekend is out. **

**And I forgot to mention this (the whole time, whoops :D): I've posted pictures for this story on my profile. Not anything specific yet, I've been sooo busy. But there are the character pictures there, because unlike most people, I do NOT like some of the actors used for the Twilight movie. (Kristen Stewart, *cough, cough*). I have nothing against people that do like her, it's just, for this story, I'm not going to be picturing her along with you guys as Bella. So anyways, pics are on the profile. If you look at it before I get a chance to update it, know that for a while I used some male model as a substitute for Emmett because I had to leave for school before I could update and put a picture of Kellan Lutz up. Yes, se quiero Kellan mucho :D **

**Oh! And I've been asked if this story will be the same as the show. While it will follow the show closely, it will not be the same entirely. I'm changing several things to match the plotline of _Twilight_ (James/Naraku, for instance, won't be some weird multi-assimilated demon.)**

**So chapter summary: Bella goes home, an old theater mask left in her storeroom senses her jewel shards and attacks, Eric gets his first-hand demon encounter, and Edward saves the day! Whoo!**

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Terror of the Ancient Mask

**Bella's POV**

I breathed the quietest sigh of relief that I could muster. Thank God I'd decided to bring my bike to the Feudal Era with me the last time. Otherwise, I didn't know how I'd be able to get to the well again fast enough to escape without Edward noticing. He seemed to be watching me like a hawk lately, and he most certainly didn't want me to go home.

I peeked out from around the bush I was currently hiding behind, and shifted my weight slightly on the seat of my bike. Even though I had rid myself of almost half the weight that had come in my backpack when I came back, it was still very heavy, and the yellow straps were cutting into my shoulders.

It looked like the coast was clear. I pushed off from the ground as fast as I could, and started pedaling that stupid pink Powder-Puff of a bike for my life.

I should've known it wouldn't work.

A streak of red and a smug, "What's your hurry, Bella?" let me know that he had indeed noticed my absence, and had already beaten me to the well.

Groaning in defeat and annoyance, I planted my feet on the ground and skidded to a halt right in front of him. He leaned against the well casually, like chasing me down had been nothing but an after-breakfast workout for him. Cocky, arrogant, jerk...

"Not so fast," he said accusingly. "You're not going anywhere until you hand over your piece of the jewel."

God, how did he know exactly how to push my buttons?

"Move!" I said angrily, raising my voice slightly. I knew it would do nothing but spur his temper (if nothing, he loved rising to challenges) but I couldn't help it. "In my era, girls go to school and it just so happens that _this_ girl has a huge test tomorrow to study for! I've been missing all my cram classes for next year, too!" Bunching my fists tightly, I lowered my voice to a musing level. "Of course, at this rate, I'll have missed to many classes to graduate anyway..."

A loud rumble, like an oncoming thunderstorm, jerked me back to the world. I looked up and saw Edward standing beside the well, one foot placed on the wooden ledge for support, his arms raised over his head as he held up an enormous boulder. That grey lump had to be his height, had at least three times as wide as him. I felt my jaw drop momentarily. His strength never ceased to amaze me.

"What do you think you're doing?" I demanded.

He laughed once, triumphant under his strain. "What does it look like?" he asked rhetorically, preparing to thrust the boulder onto my well. "Without this well, you can't return to that strange other world of yours. I'll destroy it!"

I saw the muscles in his arms and back tighten as he prepared to bring the rock down and crush my well.

"Sit!" I shouted as a last resort. His triumphant battle-call cut off in a whimper of surprise and strain as he fought the necklace that was bringing him down. Unbelievable. He started doing an unintentional little dance as he fought the necklace. I would've laughed if I hadn't been so angry. "Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! SIT!"

Finally, he fell to the ground in an injured, sore heap, and I winced when the huge boulder landed on top of him, on his back. He nearly screamed in pain and surprise when that happened, and then lay on the ground, twitching but otherwise motionless.

I dropped my bike on the ground and flew to the well as fast as my clumsy legs could carry me.

I put my knee up on the ledge of the well and turned back to say quickly, "I'll be back in three days, so don't you dare follow me!"

Without waiting for an answer or yell of protest that I knew would come, I jumped over the wooden edge of the well and catapaulted into the strange floating/falling sensation that brought me home.

When I landed in the bottom of my well, I heard voices up above me. I blinked in shock. I hadn't somehow been rejected and forced to stay back in Edward's time, right?

Then I recognized the voices as Grandma's and Eric's.

"Come home! Return to us!" Grandma was chanting. I rolled my eyes down in the darkness where she couldn't see and chastise me for my disrepect.

"Grandma, will your chants really work?" Eric asked skeptically.

"It will!" Grandma said confidently, and I could just imagine the indignant spark in her brown eyes when she heard the doubt in her grandson's tone. "This chant is an ancient one that has been passed down through generations of Swan priests and priestesses!"

There was a pause after Grandma's evil little chuckle.

Then, bored, Eric's voice came again. "Then how come you've been at it for three days and nights, and Bella still hasn't come home?"

I decided it was time to let them know I was there when I heard Grandma pick something up off the ground. I wouldn't put it past her to throw down beer on me.

Just as I opened my mouth to call up to them, she emptied out a bucket of nasty water on me. It was the same stuff Irina had once used when she thought I was a demon invading her village. Or at least it smelled that way. Disgusting.

Grandma must have heard my vocal repulse, because she leaned over the edge of the well and looked down at me with happy tears in her eyes. Wasn't that a bit melodramatic? I hadn't even been gone that long. Four or five days, tops.

"Bella!" she cried happily. "My prayers have worked!"

"Thanks for your concern, Grandma," I said frostily, "but—" I broke off, trying to hold back my sneeze that was building up.

"Eric!" Grandma called behind her, turning away from me just long enough to call my brother over. "Do you believe me now?"

"Wow, she's back!" he cheered happily.

Yes, that's wonderful! She's back and happy and _soaking wet and stuck in a well! _How about we all do a little happy dance because of it?!

"Then you must train hard as the next in line," Grandma informed him calmly.

"I'm the next in line?!" he shot back, shocked and repulsed.

I just stared up at the both of them in disbelief.

"Of course," Grandma said nonchalantly. "It's time to 'pass the torch.'"

"Get real," Eric scoffed. "I'm gonna be a famous soccer player."

"Soccer?" Grandma shot back, offended and scandalized. I glared at the ground, growling under my breath. Were they really just going to argue about Eric's career choices while I froze down there? He's eight years old! "What kind of a job is that?"

Finally, I let my temper explode. "VERY INTERESTING, BUT WE COULD FINISH THIS CONVERSATION _AFTER_ YOU'VE HELPED ME OUT OF THE WELL?!"

Even though my voice reverberated all through the well and the empty hut thing around it, they took no notice of me.

"Mom wants be to be a doctor."

"A doctor? A physician or a surgeon...? I would recommend you to become..."

Groaning in the same way that I had with Edward not ten minutes before, I leaned back against the cold stone side of the well and sank to the ground, defeated.

After I finally was helped inside and got a nice hot shower, I sat down to breakfast. Ink, of course, was like my Siamese twin—he was practically glued to my hip. When I sat down at the breakfast table beside Eric, he tried to hop up into my lap like he used to when he was a wiry little kitten, but now he was a lazy fat cat and he couldn't make it. I picked him up and sat him down in my lap. Whenever I paid to much attention to my delicious breakfast (it was _real food_: ham, eggs, bacon, toast, tea, coffee...) Ink would get impatient and rub his head on my stomach. Finally, when I purposefully refused to rub him in his favorite spot at the base of his neck, he peeked over the edge of the table, glaring at my food as though it were the reason I was ignoring him.

Then he sneezed, catching me off guard.

"What's the matter, Ink?" I asked out loud, like I honestly expected him to answer. "Got a cold or something?"

I blushed and grabbed a thick chunk of my hair, bringing it around to my nose. I inhaled deeply, but didn't quite catch the scent of anything but my favorite strawberry-scented shampoo. "Or does my hair still smell like that nasty water...?"

"I got this for one of your new school uniforms, Bella," Mom said, jerking me back into the room. She held up a black pencil skirt that would be very flattering, but still well into the dress code. "I'll put it in your room for you."

That was what I loved about my school. I went to a public school that still was pretty upscale, and we all wore uniforms. While the staff and everyone there were pretty uptight about a lot of things, the uniforms weren't really strict. Girls had to wear a dark skirt, plaid or straight black, a white shirt (in the winter, a white or light-color jacket over that) with the school's black tie. Some girls tried to be sexy chic by loosening the tie and all that, and now I did it too, out of sheer habit. The boys had to wear khaki-colored pants, a white undershirt, the black school tie and over-jacket. Other than that, it was pretty much left up to us how we wanted to dress.

"Thanks, Mom!"

His mouth full of food, my brother asked me, "Hey, where's that pale guy, Edward? Didn't you bring him home with you this time?"

"Of course not!" I snapped. Wasn't I any good by myself? Did I always have to be with him? "It was difficult enough trying to lose him."

Indignantly, I took a final bite out of my piece of toast and ruminated to myself. When had my life gotten so horribly complicated? It seemed like it had been years since I had been Bella Swan, typical ninth grade girl with a brother, a mom, and a grandmother. Ha, that whole idea seemed laughable to me now. Now I was Bella Swan, typical ninth grade girl and blah blah in this era, while I was 'Lady Bella,' reincarnated priestess that traveled with a half-vampire and a baby fox demon in the Feudal Era.

Just that morning I had woken up and stared blankly at my ceiling, thinking it had all been some crazy dream. I sighed, heading off to school with Eric, who didn't go to my high school yet, but left at about the same time as me. It wasn't a dream, though, and I had to face that fact straight on. It was reality... _my _reality.

When I ran up outside the school building, students were loitering around everywhere talking to their friends and greeting each other as they prepared for what, to them, would be just another day at school. But it wasn't for me. For once in my life, I was able to call going to school an actual 'treat' or something. It shocked me.

I found my three friends, Jessica, Lauren, and Angela, standing in a small group just outside the main door. I ran to them, calling out, "Good morning!"

They turned from their semi-circle into an almost line and all greeted me with the same expressions of shock and delight.

"Bella!" Jessica said pleasantly.

Of course, the ever-practical Lauren had to add, "Are you sure it you're feeling well enough to be at school?"

Oh, great. _Now_ what had Grandma told them?

"You've been absent a lot lately," she clarified to my confused expression, "so we called your house."

"This time, it was a strained back," Jessica put in, sounding cheerfully concerned.

"And before that, you were at the doctor's taking some diabetes tests," Angela said, and she was the only one of the three that still sounded concerned about my supposed 'illnesses.' The other two just assumed that if I was well enough to be at school, I was over it completely. "Got the results back yet?"

When I didn't answer immediately, my face probably showing my consternation, Jessica asked, "Are you ok?"

_God, Grandma, if you had to make up excuses for me being absent all the time, couldn't you at least have made them believable?! Like a cold or the flu or something?!_

"Hey, Bella!"

I turned, for some reason flinching as though I expected it to be Edward. But this was my time, and he hated it here. He wouldn't come all the way out to my school to go bring me back, even though he did really want to go after the jewel shards. This was Mike, the supposedly hottest guy in our high school, even though he was a freshman like me. I supposed he might be good looking, if I were into the whole generic type. He had light blue eyes, with straight blond hair parted over at the left side of his head falling into them.

He wore the usual school uniform for boys and came riding up to me on a bike, grinding his feet into the ground to stop himself when he got just in front of me.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked concernedly. Where was all this interest coming from? I'd never even spoken to the guy before... had I? He swung his right leg back over the bike to stand in front of me, propping out the kickstand for his bike.

"You're going through an awful lot for someone so young," he said sympathetically. "You have gout?"

I flinched, glaring at the ground. _No...!_

"I can't do much, but here."

He held out what looked like an explosively pink present for me, that was shaped rather like an eggplant. It was wrapped in fluorescent pink paper with little darker pink roses on it, and tied off with a flamboyant pink bow. He looked rather embarrassed by it, but determined to give it to me all the same. He rubbed the back of his neck a little shyly.

"It's from the shop," he explained. "Mom wrapped it up. Hope you like pink."

From behind me, I heard my friends gasp as one and start hissing and whispering to each other about this latest development. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, knowing Mike would take it the wrong way. They were such gossip queens.

I took that as a 'ok' to open the gift, and pulled on the pink ribbon a bit. It gave way, landing on my wrist. I separated the pink paper and found some really weird shaped sandals. They almost reminded me of octopuses, because they had these really strange bubbles on the soles.

"What are they?" I asked. But when I looked back up, Mike was already on his bike and riding away to join his friends. He glanced back over his shoulder at me with a smile, and called in answer to my confusion, "Therapeutic sandals! Wear them, ok?"

As I stared after him in shock, my friends crowded back around me, gushing with excitement.

"Bella!"

"Are you going out with Mike?"

"Of course not," I said, and I felt myself blushing lightly across my cheekbones. "As if I had the time!"

Lauren looked after him, too, laughing once. "Does that guy totally have the hots for you, or what?"

"What a shock!"

I would have been pleased with the bell ringing just then, because it usually would have signified that we had to go our separate ways. But unfortunately for me, I had decided to come back on an 'A' day, which meant my first bell class was shared with... unbelievably... all three of them.

Before the teacher came in to start the lesson, they crowded around my desk, Angela standing just behind me, Jessica kneeling on the floor and resting her head on my desk, and Lauren leaning against a desk that was next to mine.

"Are you the least bit interested?" Jessica asked in frustration after several failed attempts to get gushy information out of me.

"Well..." I hedged.

They seemed to pick up on my hesitation.

"Bella, do you...?" Lauren asked in disbelief, and then broke off, unable to finish.

Angela did for her, though. "Do you have a boyfriend already?!"

"No way!" I said impatiently. Wouldn't I have told them if I did? They were my best friends.

"Really?" Jessica asked, sounding mildly surprised. "You really don't have one?"

"Then what type of guy do you like?" Lauren asked eagerly, leaning slightly toward me.

"I don't know..." I hesitated, putting a hand to my chin as I thought about it. I got a sudden vision of Edward the afternoon before, trying to throw the boulder down onto my well to crush my way of 'escape.' "He definitely wouldn't be rough or aggressive... and not selfish or spoiled... He wouldn't be short-tempered... He'd be kind... and understanding..."

_Yeah... Perhaps I'd like someone who's the complete opposite of Edward._

* * *

**Irina's POV**

I sat on the floor of my little house by my bed, grinding some medicinal herbs in a bowl for whenever Edward and Bella and Seth might return to my village. The last time Edward and Bella had returned, Edward had been wounded harshly, and I hadn't been prepared. This time, though, I would.

Assuming he ever got off his lazy duff and went outside, of course. Ever since Bella had left for her own world through the well yesterday afternoon, he'd been laying on the floor of my hut on his stomach, groaning in pain whenever he tried to get up. Drama queen.

"Edward, stop lying around," I snapped, losing my temper. I turned to look at him over my shoulder, being that he had currently fallen just behind me. "Get off ye duff and go seek out some information on the Sacred Jewel."

I went back to my work, while Edward made fun of me from the floor.

"And if _ye_ hadn't noticed," he sneered, directly insulting my already-old speech, "my back's been thrown out of commission, thanks to all those 'sit' commands of hers! She better just wait till she comes back here. She'll pay for this."

Of course she would. I rolled my eyes, continuing to hum as I worked despite Edward's loud groan from behind me.

* * *

**Grandma's POV**

It seemed that Bella and Eric had left for school before Bella had completed her chore. Unlike most girls her age, Bella only had to do one thing for our family and that was to sweep the front walk and porch. That wasn't so difficult, was it? Traveling back in time to the Feudal Era every now and then was not an excuse for abandoning your prior duties.

Still, I sighed heavily and got out the old broom. It wouldn't hurt to do it for her once. She'd looked pretty tired and stressed out when she returned this time. I had no doubt in my mind it had everything to do with that pale boy, Edward or something.

After I had finished with the ancient stone stairs that led up the hill to our property, I smelled smoke lingering about the place. Not the kind of smoke from a barbecue that I was getting used to smelling around this time of year, but the other kind. The bad kind. Fire smoke.

I instinctively looked toward the house, the most modern building on the plot of land even though it had been built in the late eighties, and sighed in relief when I saw nothing amiss with it. Then where was that smell coming from?

The old well house... fine. The old private chapel... fine. The old store... fine. The old storeroom where we kept all our things like a garage... smoking like crazy.

I ran over to it as fast as my withered old legs could carry me. God, with all the new things this world had come out with, couldn't they have invented a pill to cure old age yet?

I pushed down on the old-fashioned handle on the door and threw the door open, peeping inside. A box that my own grandfather had sealed away and placed on the top shelf was the apparent cause of the smoke, and the wooden shelf under it was black and charred from the heat it was throwing off. The rest of the storeroom appeared to be fine, nothing out of the ordinary except that strange box and the smoke coming out of it.

All of a sudden, as I watched, little spurts of flame shot out from the box, each one directed at the seals trapping the ancient acting mask inside, but none doing significant damage except to the storeroom around it. The flames died almost as soon as they were shot, but some managed to fall and catch onto the entirely wooden room around it.

The wooden shelf that had been so charred and burnt because of the box finally gave way, and the whole box collapsed through a hole in it, while I could only watch. As it fell, things seemed to start going in slow motion for me for a moment. The box opened before it hit the ground, and the ancient mask flew out, and just hovered there in the air as though it were flying.

It turned around to face me, and a voice echoed from nowhere, "Give me... a body..."

Because of the box coming undone, the rest of the shelf it had been on had gone up in flames too. I couldn't care about that, though. I pulled down the nearest bucket of holy water from a shelf and poured it over my head. And my grandchildren said I was paranoid or something for keeping it there...

I remembered everything about that mask. My father had told the story to me, after hearing it from his own father, and so on. Back towards the end of the Feudal Era, my predecessor had exorcised that mask for an actor that brought it to him. It was called "The Flesh-Eating Mask." Of course, hearing the story didn't do it justice. I'd had no idea until that moment that the mask had sheltered such incredible power.

I thrust my hand into my right pants pocket and pulled out the seals that I always carried around in case of emergency. I hadn't before Bella went to the Feudal Era, but now I saw my reasoning was right. It was probably her jewel shards that had woken the demon in the first place.

I threw three of the six seals I held straight at the mask's "face," but it remained unperturbed. Not that I was expecting it to change, of course, it was a mask made of wood. But still. Nothing happened except that my seals went up in flames and disintegrated into ash before they even touched the mask.

"A body..." the voice echoed around, wistful and longing.

"Give me... a body!"

The mask flew at me then, and I barely managed to duck over to the left. But my old joints weren't up for such movement, and my knees gave out. I fell onto the hardwood floor, and I knew I'd get some serious bruises on my knees from that one. The mask didn't stop there, either. It circled me like a vulture on a carcass, and kept lunging forward at inopportune moments. I only just managed to dodge it time and again, but I was already getting tired. Was I ever young enough to do something like this? I was starting to feel a healthier respect for Bella's courage and youth.

Olden-time armor was standing in the far corner of the storeroom, and the mask went for it as though it thought the armor really had a human inside it. It turned and flew up onto the spot where the face would have been, and started to animate the armor it seemed. It managed to make the armor twitch and sit up a little bit before the whole thing collapsed in pieces, making a horrible clattering sound on the floor, which I could barely hear over the deafening groaning of the burning wood.

"A body... a body..." the mask kept saying, almost begging, but more demanding.

It didn't fall with the armor, but just floated in the air. I clutched my three remaining seals tighter in my right fist, backing away slowly. There wasn't much I could do to stop the demon. I could only hope to save myself, and even that prospect wasn't looking too good.

I heard a loud creaking, crashing sound and looked up only just in time to see the wooden beams that supported most of the weight of the storeroom come crashing down on me. They landed across my back, pinning to me to the ground while I cried out in pain.

The last thing I remembered seeing was the demon come lunging at me again, the voice around it echoing, "Give me a body!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I wasn't sure why, but I chose to walk the long way home, out around the main road and then cut off on the little left-hand turn. That street that I lived on held only two other houses, so when a blaring ambulance passed me on the highway, I stared after it, silently praying, _Don't turn left. Don't turn left!_

Luck, never a faithful friend to me, decided not to listen. The ambulance turned left, and I picked up my pace to near running. There were only three houses down that road, meaning I had a one-in-three chance of something going wrong in my own house.

When I reached the intersection to turn left, three or four boys a little older than me, possibly seventeen, were standing there talking eagerly amongst themselves. I could only pick up catches and snags of their conversation, but it was enough to petrify me.

"Hey, didja hear?"

"...Yeah, that Swan place..."

"On fire?"

"Let's go check it out!"

They took off running, and I didn't think they even noticed that I was right behind them.

When I finally made it to the base of the stone steps that led up to my house, there were two huge red firetrucks parked just outside, long white hoses coming out of them and sloping up the stairs. There was a huge crowd that was trying to see up the stairs to my house without disturbing the big yellow _Do not cross_ tape that had been placed from the firetruck to a nearby street light to keep the crowd from going up to my house. The ambulance was already gone, presumably to the hospital.

I, of course, didn't pay any attention to them or the tape. I shoved my way through the crowd and under the tape, running up the stairs as fast as I dared with my clumsiness, ignoring the instructions or cries from the police- and firemen behind me.

"The fire is under control!"

"Please do not worry!"

"This road is closed!"

"Don't push!"

"Hey, you! This area's off limits!

"You can't go up there!!"

When I reached the top of the stairs, I looked around, automatically running down a mental inventory list of all the buildings. The house was fine, the old private chapel, the old store... everything was fine except the old storeroom. There was a small TV in my room, upstairs, and I could hear it broadcasting the news loudly out the open window from where I stood. I supposed I'd forgotten to turn it off when I went in to school. But I had more important things to worry about in that moment that wasting electricity.

Mom stood a few feet from me, talking to what seemed to be the leader of the policemen. She nodded, and her face looked grateful but sad, so I assumed she was thanking him and was done. I ran over to her, panting from my exertions.

"Mom!" I gasped, bracing myself against my knees. _Too much running...!_ "What... happened?!"

"The old storeroom caught fire," she explained briefly, not looking too worried about it. "Grandma was trapped inside, surrounded by the smoke."

"Grandma's hurt?!" I shrieked. In sudden, painful flashes, I remembered all the times that I had been hateful to Grandma, calling her eccentric and crazy. Even though I never meant them to be harsh most of the time, and hardly ever spoke my theories out loud, I still felt absolutely terrible for even thinking them.

Mom seemed to know what I was thinking from my expression. She laid a feather-light hand on my shoulder. "She's all right," she said swiftly. "She was slightly injured, then fainted before she could inhale too much smoke. I'm going to the hospital now."

"Me, too!" I said eagerly.

The hand on my shoulder tightened a bit reflexively. "Eric's not home yet," she reminded me gently. "Someone will have to explain things to him. Please stay home tonight and watch out for him. I'll be back later."

I nodded and absent-mindedly watched her walk away, down the steps toward where we had our car parked on the side of the road. Then I stared in the general direction of the storeroom, watching the firemen chatter and talk amongst themselves over there; watching them, but not really seeing them.

Something about the whole thing didn't seem right. Mom and Grandma had always been super-prepared for anything. They never kept anything remotely flammable in that storeroom, except of course, the storeroom itself, which was made of wood. But... How could a fire start in there in the first place? There wasn't any way that I could think of.

I barely listened to the firemen's babble, but I could definitely hear it from where I stood.

"So the fire started from inside, huh?"

"Watch out! There are holes in the floor!"

"Sis!" I heard from behind me, the voice jolting me out of my thoughts.

I turned away from the storeroom, where it sounded like someone might be screaming really quietly inside, and turned to look at him. Nothing was wrong in the storeroom, I was starting to imagine things because I was freaked out.

It was almost funny, the way Eric mimicked my movements exactly when I reached Mom not ten minutes before. He was panting with exertion when he reached me, and he even braced himself on his knees weakly. There _were_ a lot of a stairs to run up to get here, after all.

I kneeled down so that my face was slightly below his, and reached up to grasp his shoulders.

"It's all right, we're all safe," I said urgently. He looked like he might be about to have a panic attack or something, and that was the last thing I wanted to happen in that moment. "Don't worry."

Suddenly, there was a huge, groaning boom from down below us on the road. Even up at the top of the hill where we stood, we both felt the ground tremor. _What the hell was that?!_

We ran together to the top of the stairs, looking down into the road where one of the firetrucks was suddenly trying to plow its way out of the street. Three police cars had tried to stop it already, creating a sort of barricade in front of the truck, but the big red monster just kept going, overturning the police cars and sending them clattering and screeching away like toys.

The truck groaned, doing a sort of wheely and then falling on top of one of the police cars. It crushed it as easily as that toy car I was imagining.

Several brave firemen ran out in front of the truck, waving their black-and-yellow clad arms to get the driver's attention. Like the driver didn't already know what he was doing, the psycho.

"Stop!"

The truck kept going, charging right for the firemen. They only just managed to leap out of the way, and the truck went careening on its warpath of destruction down the road, making a swift, almost too-late right turn onto the main road. It was all over the road. Was the driver on drugs or did he just not know how to drive right?

The chief police guy that I'd seen talking to Mom was now on his walkie-talkie, and pointing vigorously after the truck, signaling all the rest of the police cars to go after it, which they did, going ninety to nothing.

While the policemen shouted frantically at each other and cars went rearing after the out-of-control truck, I turned in shock as I heard the news broadcast from my room abruptly change. How did they get contacted so quickly?

"This just in... A firetruck is driving wildly through the streets, completely out of control and smashing into anything and anyone in its path. The number of injured so far has not been confirmed since every person that crosses its path seems to have vanished into thin air. That's all the information we have at present, but until more is known about the incident, we strongly advise everyone to stay off the streets."

I shook my head, snapping myself out of my frozen stupor. I grabbed Eric's forearm and almost dragged him back up the stairs. No way were we going to get caught in the way of that crazy firetruck, not that I expected it to come back down our street. It was a dead-end road with only three houses, and it had already been here. Why would it bother to come back?

Altogether, with that assurance in mind, I was pretty confident that we were safe and fine. When dusk finally fell, Eric and I were able to visit the hospital to see Grandma. Eric wanted to wait in the waiting room with all the other people, still thinking he was going to get caught by the firetruck psycho and thinking there was 'safety in numbers,' and all that. I, however, went straight up to the third floor to Grandma's room.

Mom met me outside her door, and wouldn't let me go inside.

"How is she?" I asked nervously, Mom's grave face instantly making me fear the worst.

"The doctor says she's out of danger," Mom said slowly, a little uncertain herself, "but Grandma is still unconscious. I don't think we need to be overly concerned, though. Let's not forget is age is a factor."

I glanced toward the floor, hating myself for feeling so helpless. But what else could I do?

Then I noticed Mom loosely holding some tattered, crunched-up papers that looked like Grandma's seals.

"Mom, what are those?" I asked, pointing.

Mom frowned, looking down at her hands and the seals. "When they rescued her, she had these plastered all over her face. She even had some stuffed in her mouth. Something must have really frightened her."

Without warning, from behind Mom in Grandma's room there came this awful, weak groan. We both turned to look, and saw Grandma writhing in her sheets, her white-gray hair sticking to her perspirating forehead, crying out, "The Flesh-Eating Mask... The Mask... The Flesh-Eating..."

That night, when I went back home, Mom had decided to stay at the hospital for the rest of the night with Grandma. I was to stay home and watch Eric, but I also had tons of homework to do. No psycho or 'flesh-eating mask' could put off _that_. Besides, I was still sure there was no reason for the freak to come back down our street. There was nothing here for him.

Eric, however, still felt otherwise. As I worked hard at my desk to study for my test in the morning, I heard my door open behind me and knew it was him.

"Mom's going to stay at the hospital tonight to watch over Grandma," I explained to him without greeting. That was when I heard him dragging something behind him. I turned to look and saw he was holding his pillow and dragging a comforter behind himself, Ink sitting on it like he thought he was a totem king or something.

"Sis, can I stay in here with you tonight?" Eric asked, embarrassed but scared.

I wanted to tell him he could, but I was going to be up late studying. He wouldn't get much sleep in my room, and he had to go to school the next morning, too.

"Sorry, but you'll have to stay in your own room."

He let out his breath in a half-scoff, half-groan of fright and disappointment.

"Please, Sis?"

"Eric, I'm going to be up really late tonight studying for an important test tomorrow," I said, pulling out my math book from my pile of school textbooks. "Besides, there's nothing you should be afraid of except the dust bunnies under your bed."

"...Well, Grandma had seals and stuff in her mouth and even holy water all over her..." he said weakly. "I'll bet something happened in that storeroom!"

_The Flesh-Eating Mask... The Mask... The Flesh-Eating..._

I shook my head. Why was that coming back to me now? Grandma had just been imagining something in the flames, or the smoke inhalation had caused her to hallucinate. There was no 'Flesh-Eating Mask.'

My window started rattling like it always did because of the wind, but Eric cried out and clutched his things to himself, as though they were armor and would protect him from whatever monster he'd imagined.

Maybe Eric and Grandma were right, though... Something was definitely different about this fire. We'd never had trouble like that at our place. So why now? Why, after all the time that storeroom had sat there, the same for more than five centuries?

I gasped, realization flooding me. It was my fault!

The jewel shards!! All of it happened because I brought the jewel shards back into my time with me...! So it was really a demon out there doing this...?

Suddenly, we heard sirens. My breath caught in the back of my throat, and I heard Eric whimper slightly under his breath. _Please tell me it's just somebody having a stroke or something. It's not that firetruck..._

There were some loud crunching noises coming from outside, and several screams of pain and shock. I bit my lip. _It's not the firetruck... It's not a demon... It's just some psycho out there... killing innocent people? ...Oh, God... No..._

All of a sudden, the ground started to shake again. Something outside crashed through out gate after coming up the hill through the brush and trees. It was the firetruck. It crashed to a stop right outside our house, and the escalator basket thing that was usually at the top used for people in high buildings came crashing in through my window. I let out a horrifying shriek at the same time Eric did, and we both fell to the ground, scrambling away from it.

There was some sort of nasty monster in the basket. It looked like an ancient acting mask, the kind Shakespeare and company used to use, but it was attached to this huge mess of gloppy, dripping black mess. But it wasn't really black... more like the color of lots and lots of blood... That time, I whimpered with Eric.

That is, until I saw the demon extend some sort of dripping arm towards my little glass bottle of jewel shards. Good thing it was clumsy. It barely tapped the bottle before it rolled off my desk and fell to the ground, falling into a small pile of glass that had been scattered across my room because of the dumb demon breaking through my window.

A voice echoed from nowhere, because the wooden mouth of the mask didn't move.

"The jewel... The Sacred Jewel..."

No way it was getting my shards!

I pushed forward off my knees, lunging to grab the bottle, which I managed to do just in time. But as I grabbed it up, my hand was cut in two or three places by the glass around the floor. I had to ignore the blood falling over my palm and fingers. This was no time to go fainting because of a little blood.

The demon slowly reached after me instead, the voice still saying, "The jewel... The Sacred Jewel..." What a fruit loop of a demon.

I ran out of my room, thinking Eric was right behind me. But when I got out into the hall and turned to look over my shoulder, I saw that Eric wasn't there. He was back inside my room still, staring at the demon in transfixed horror.

"Eric, don't just sit there! Come on! This is no time to zone out on me!"

I picked him up when it became clear that he had no intention of moving. His eyes were bulging and his mouth was slightly open in terror, but other than that, he hadn't moved an inch. I held him to my left side as I raced down the stairs and outside.

Holding the bottle of the jewel shards in my right hand, I set Eric down on his feet and held his hand with my left, pulling him after me. He had two choices: run with me, or be dragged along by the arm. He finally snapped out of his stupor, running along to catch up with me.

"We've got to get the shards away from that demon," I mumbled to myself, thinking out loud. "And I have to get to Edward somehow."

"B-Bella," Eric cried out in shock. "You're bleeding...!"

"It's nothing," I said, panting as we ran towards the stairs. "I just cut myself on the glass."

There was a metallic clatter, and we both turned around at the same time to see the escalator bucket thing turning around towards us, the demon still inside. Then the mask demon thing jumped out of the basket with surprising swiftness and landed right in between us, Eric and I jumping apart to avoid it.

"Give it to me..." the demon voice echoed, the mask staring straight at me. I was the one holding the jewel shards, after all. That was when I realized that the mask had a jewel shard of its own, right in its forehead. I'd felt the familiar pull of the shard long before then, but I had assumed it was my own jewel shards calling to me. No wonder this ancient mask had become some sort of demon.

If it was only after more jewel shards and not more people... Eric would definitely be safer farther away from me.

I ran past Eric, the demon following me as I led it closer to the stairs. I had no idea where I was running, I just let my legs blindly lead me for my life.

"Eric!" I shouted over my shoulder. "Run to the hidden well and get Edward! Tell him there are Sacred Jewel shards in this world and he'll gladly come running!"

Eric's horrified voice floated after me. "What?! All by myself?!"

For Pete's sake, he was eight years old! Surely he could manage calling someone?! The demon was hot on my heels, slurping its way across the slick stone ground.

Darting down the stairs as fast as I could, I called over my shoulder, "You can handle it. Just hurry!"

* * *

**Eric's POV**

After Sis disappeared down the steps, I picked up Ink, who had followed her outside, and darted for the well house. Unlike her, I wasn't usually uncoodinated. I was a good soccer player for my age, or so I'd been told, and I knew that I could at least manage to get into the well house and shut the door. The demon could stay outside. How would it know we went in there? We'd be safe.

So I did just that. Breathing heavily, I leaned againt the closed wooden door of the well house. Then I shook my head, what was I waiting around for?

I ran over to the well, and dropped Ink on the ground. He went walking off into the darkness, presumably to hunt mice or whatever cats did. He wasn't worried by the demon. He didn't even know there was a demon, I'd bet.

I stared down into the pitch-black depths of the well and felt a shiver rise up over my spine. Sis made jumping down it look so easy, but... it looked really scary when you thought _you_ were the one about to jump.

It was linked to the Feudal Era. I would just have to jump. Like going into a cold pool. Or ripping off a Band-Aid. Do it fast without thinking about it.

I stepped back a pace or two, and threw myself over the ledge of the well, screaming as I fell to the ground. And hit it.

I groaned in pain, sitting up. The dirt floor of the well hadn't given way to me. Why couldn't I go through? WHY?!

I started desperately digging into the dirt floor, the dirt itself pushing its way farther up my fingernails. Almost to the point of pain, but that didn't matter. I had to get through. I had to... or Sis would... I froze, feeling the humiliating tears already welling up in my eyes. I knew that boys weren't supposed to cry, that it showed weakness, but everything combined in that night, added to what Sis had just done for me...

I broke down and straight-up sobbed as I kept trying to dig into the ground, "I have to get through or Sis will die!"

Without warning, as soon as the word 'die' stopped echoing in the empty well house, the bottom of the well disappeared. But yet it didn't, because I wasn't floating. I could still feel something beneath me, like a barrier, holding me up. So if I wasn't going through... someone else was coming here?!

I gasped, staring in silent fascination and hope as Edward came rising up into the well, looking calm but determined. Had he heard what I said about Bella?

He blinked around in the darkness and finally his green eyes settled on me with an expectant air. But I couldn't think of anything to say except the stupid, "It's you... You're Edward..."

He smirked at me confidently. "In the flesh, kid," he said, sounding a little amused. "Now what's this problem you need help with?"

Before I knew what happened, I was on his back piggy-back style, and he was darting around faster than a bolt of lightning—and on the roofs of skycrapers, no less!

I clutched at the loose shirt on his shoulders tightly, silently praying to God that he wouldn't drop me or we wouldn't fall and die. As he leaped over the gap between two particularly far buildings, he cautioned, "Hang on tight, kid, it's a long way down."

I sniffled, trying to collect myself around this guy. He seemed so cool and calm, and I was over there on his back, crying like a baby?! No way.

"I couldn't get through the well," I murmured, mostly to myself. It seemed like the worst kind of weakness. I mean, if Sis could do it, why not me?

But instead of making fun of me for that, like I half-expected him to, Edward just said, "Lucky for you. You should be glad about that. In my world, there are tons of demons who love to eat little boys like you."

So I was lucky not to pass through? But Bella went all the time and she didn't get eaten! ...Then again, that was probably because she was a lot braver than me, and she had Edward to protect her.

Edward leaped onto a nearby car, letting it drive us to wherever Bella was. But how could he find her? We were already nearly out of town. She couldn't have gone that far, could she?

"Do you know where to find my sister?" I asked uncertainly, leaning around his shoulder to see him staring off to the right with a look of mute anger and determination. Was that where Bella was? Was he mad at her? Or the demon going after her?

"Of course," he said easily, turning back to me and giving me another side-smile. "I'm not human, remember? I just have to follow Bella's scent. It's pretty distinctive enough."

There, at least, I could help. "Sis cut her hand..." I said in a low voice. How was she doing with that? It wasn't exactly a secret that she couldn't stand the smell of blood.

Edward lost his smile for a moment before turning back to look straight ahead. "Don't have to tell me that," he said easily. "I could smell her blood from back at the well." He stood up on the roof of the truck and I held onto his shoulders tighter. If he were human, I probably would have hurt him by now, but his skin was rock hard. Could he even feel me?

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll find Bella and save her without fail."

What? But... Bella said...

_Psh! That Edward is rough and a show-off and he isn't kind at all. He's a total egomaniac. The guy's a complete pain. It's such a chore keeping up with him._

Hadn't she just told me that this morning at breakfast? Was this even the same guy Bella was talking about? Sure, he outfit was a bit out of date, and he seemed to be a little cocky, but right then he seemed so much kinder and more dependable than Bella made him out to be.

We finally reached some new building being built. I'd heard it would be an apartment complex, but that didn't matter. I saw Bella up on the ledge of about the fifteenth story. She was breathing hard, and clutching her chest as though it burned her, but the demon advancing in front of her seemed just fine. Didn't those things ever get tired?

Suddenly, the demon shot up off the ground and landed right in front of her, and I could do nothing but gasp and try to catch up to its movements. Edward, on the other hand, tensed and started leaping up off the ground, floor by floor, and was on the fifteenth one before I knew what had happened.

"Give it to me... the Sacred Jewel!" the voice reverberated in the empty space.

Bella backed away slowly, but the heel of her left foot tapped the edge of the floor. If she were to keep backing up, she'd 'back up' right down fifteen stories to a concrete ground. Not exactly a nice way to go, that.

From behind the demon, Edward yelled out, "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Edward cut the mushy demon right in half, and we landed just in front of her. The two halves of the gloppy demon separated as far as the building allowed, as though the were the same magnet.

"Nice timing!" Bella said gratefully. It sounded like that was all she could manage to choke out, she was panting so hard. Well, she had run extremely far.

I hopped off Edward's back and landed at her side, crying out worriedly, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she wheezed. Slowly but surely, she was starting to breathe normally again. I fell to my knees in front of her, holding onto her school uniform's skirt like I thought if I let go she'd disappear.

Edward turned around and his expression went a little too calm as he casually looked her over like he was checking an inventory. Instantly, her face went rigid in mute frustration. What the heck? They hadn't even said anything, and they were already silently fighting?!

He only made things worse by saying, "You look just fine to me." He said it like he was wondering why he even bothered coming.

Bella kneeled down on my level too, trying to stop me from having yet another would-be panic attack. "We'll be ok," she reassured me. "Edward will destroy that monster for us."

I nodded, but turned when I felt Edward just calmly stand behind me. Bella looked up at him, too.

He had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes casually closed as he took a 'I don't give crap' stance.

"I don't mind helping you," he said easily, and then opened his eyes. "But first, I want you to apologize for the other day."

Bella's face went blank with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"FOR WHAT?" Edward practically shrieked, but he didn't sound completely mad. More like, upset because his feelings had been hurt. What the heck? "You shout those incantations of yours to your heart's content and put my back out, that's what! And now you want me to save you?!"

Bella stood up and put a finger to her chin pensively. Then face cleared. "Oh, that..." Then she smiled sweetly, but not apologetically, and said, "Ok, I'm _very_ sorry. I remember, and I'm sorry. There."

Edward scoffed and turned his back on her, presumably to hide his face. He looked like... too many things to describe in one sentence. Shocked mostly, and a little angry, but more... disappointed?

"Makes it sound like she stepped on my foot!" he was mumbling to himself. Then he turned and glanced at her casually over his shoulder. "Well, maybe I'll just go back home."

Bella stomped her foot furiously, her sweet facade fading away waay too fast. "What are you saying?!" she demanded angrily. "That mask has a shard of the jewel! Don't you want it?"

Edward scoffed and crossed his arms again, glaring off in the opposite direction of her. Bella did the same, mimicking his movements to a tee.

I looked between the both of them in mute horror, and I was fairly sure my mouth was even open. They were acting like kids younger even than me!

And... I wasn't sure if I was imagining it or not, but Edward was acting really stupidly over a simple apology. I gasped to myself, watching the way he glared at her while his face still didn't show enough anger to make it believable.

_He's acting like a smitten, immature teenager! I'll bet he's smitten in love! _

I gasped again, this time for a different reason. I pointed straight ahead of me, crying out, "Edward!"

The demon had somehow reconnected itself, fully healed and perfectly fine. Edward didn't even uncross his arms. He just cocked an eyebrow at Bella as if to say, _We'll talk about this later,_ and casually turned around to face the demon, standing directly in front of me and Bella.

"Why you..." the demon's voice echoed around us. "How dare you take my body...!"

"Edward, the core of the demon is the old mask," Bella said swiftly. "The shard is in the forehead."

The mask was gently floating on the top of the goopy mess that was all the innocent people it had consumed and become. It's voice floated over towards us again.

"I am the Flesh-Eating Mask," it said simply, as though introducing itself. "Several centuries ago, I was carved out of a giant tree which had a fragment of the Sacred Jewel imbedded in it. Since then, I have craved flesh and devoured humans. Now, I want a good body that will not rot!"

"I see," Bella murmured, more to herself than anyone else, I think. "So for that, it needs more power from the Sacred Jewel."

Edward took a deep breath as though he were preparing for a late-night workout and nothing more. He flexed his fingers menacingly all the same.

"I don't know how many humans you've eaten to date," he said smoothly, "but you're definitely getting too fat!"

He punched the mask straight-up. But... I gasped. The mask had opened up vertically, a cut with actual teeth just inside like a mouth opening up from its forehead to its chin. And Edward's fist was inside it.

The voice said triumphantly, "You fell into my trap. Now you won't be able to escape."

The mask's mouth-like thing closed around Edward's fist, its sharp little teeth trying to dig into his hard skin. Then the mask disappeared inside itself, pulling Edward along with it. They sank together inside the red-black mess that sickeningly reminded me of Jell-O. I'd never even look at that stuff again if I lived through tonight.

After Edward was deep inside the depths of it, the mask shot back outside, and charged at Bella without the rest of its makeshift body. She put up my left hand as the only defense she had, her right hand holding the bottle of jewel shards, while I watched in horror. The mask had caught her off guard, and so she tripped and fell onto her back, trying to hold the mask off me.

As what seemed like a last resort, she turned her head to look at me. "Eric, take this bottle and run! Hurry!"

She threw me the bottle of jewel shards and I caught it, staring at it dumbly for a minute. Then I nodded and started running. The mask immediately rose up into the air again, leaving Bella alone and chasing after me. I had been busy too looking over my shoulder at the demon's progress, and tripped over something and fell face-first onto the hard steel ground, the bottle spinning in front of me.

I wasn't sure if I was thinking out loud, but I thought, "That mask is after this bottle... If I throw it away...!" Then I shook my head and got up, grabbing the bottle with a firm, "No, that won't work. It can't have this bottle!"

I gasped in horror when I reached the edge of the flat and couldn't go any further, the mask surging up toward me. But, thank God, at that exact moment, Edward broke free from the goopy crap left back by Bella with his huge sword and had chopped the the mask in half and then into quarters, before I knew what had happened. Have I ever thanked you, God, for making Edward a fast half-vampire?

To my surprise, the mask disappeared as ashes and a jewel shard fell to the floor. I sat up, grinning broadly.

"You did it!" I cheered. Oh, my gosh, he was amazing! And Sis made him sound like a total jerk!

"Yeah," Edward agreed easily. "Are the jewel shards safe?"

I nodded, my cheeks still a little hot from my exertion and I knew my eyes were all big and worshiping. I knew Bella wouldn't be happy that I absolutely idolized Edward now.

Ironically, at just that moment, the dawn broke outside. Great. I hadn't gotten any sleep last night. Then why wasn't I feeling particularly tired yet? Was I still worked up from my adrenaline rush?

I buttoned up fast when I saw Edward put his huge sword on his shoulder and turn toward Bella. They wouldn't fight again, would they?

Instead, completely catching me off guard with his crazy mood swings, Edward just gave her a side-smile and said, "Hey, Bella, you're not hurt, are you? How's your hand?"

Bella looked just as confused as I felt, though I had a feeling it was for a whole other reason. If you asked me, she'd be pretty embarrassed later on when I started teasing her about how googly-eyed she was for Edward right then. I bit my lip to hold back my laughter. _Save it for later when Edward isn't around to kick your butt for making fun of her._

"No," she said, but it came out more like a question. I was beyond struggling to stay silent at that point.

Then, catching me and Edward by surprise, Bella stared in horror at the city just behind us. Or, to be specific, the rising sun.

"Oh, no!" she cried, her little romantic moment of realization completely forgotten and interrupted. "It's morning! I haven't studied for my test at all!"

Then she turned and took off running for the nearest staircase down, and Edward called after her in blatant bewilderment, "Hey, where you going?"

She paused at the top of the stairs and glanced back over at us both. "Oh. Thanks, Edward!" she called hurriedly. "See ya later! Eric, make sure you pick up those jewel shards and bring them all home!"

Then she ran out of sight, faster than I'd seen her high-tail it even for the demon. But we could still hear her say, "Edward, I'll be really mad if you're still around when I get back from school! And don't you dare take those shards!"

Edward just kind of stared at the spot where she'd been not seconds before, his face totally blank in shock and confusion. I doubted that was the ending to the fight he'd imagined.

I tugged on his sleeve, and when he looked down I admitted, partially to make him feel better and partially because it was true, "You were really cool."

He groaned, lifting his eyes to the ceiling like he was asking God what he did wrong.

"Think so?" he asked sarcastically.

I would've laughed if I hadn't felt so bad for the dude. It would probably suck for her to yell 'sit' so many times his back went out, then have him save her, and finally barely thank him at all before running off without a backwards glance.

From down below on the street, we could hear Bella frantically trying to get in some last-minute cramming before she ran off to school. I, for one, would be ditching today. I knew Mom would let me after my night. She would've let Bella, too, but Bella was a nerd and tests were important to her.

"In every right triangle, the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares—Oh, I'll never remember all this in time!"

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**And that's all for now. I'll try to be getting a few more chapters up within tonight or tomorrow. So keep your eyes peeled and don't forget to review! **


	13. The Mystery of the New Moon

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**And here's the second update I promised. This one is one of my favorite in the whole show, because it's the whole 'other side' to Edward. Nobody else (well, except maybe Myoga and his mom haha) have ever seen this side of him before, because it's like a symbol of all his weaknesses that he doesn't want anyone to know about. So the fact that he lets the others see him that way means that he's really starting to trust them! Yay!**

**Ok, so I can't really give you a chapter summary except to say that Edward's biggest secret is pulled out of the closet (almost forcibly) here, and the group stumble upon a temple up in the mountains that turns out to be home to only one human (hmm). So... yeah. That's really about it. I can't say much more without ruining the story this time around, so read on and review!**

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**FOR _Inuyasha_ TV SHOW WATCHERS:** I was asked in a review if I was planning to do all 167 episodes in the TV show. No, not all of them. If you hadn't already noticed with this chapter, I've skipped the episode "The Soul Piper and the Mischievous Little Soul. I'll be skipping most episodes that aren't essential to the plotline, or don't have any Inu-Kag/Ed-Bel importance. In fact, I'll be skimming over most of Season Four, seeing as it was nearly all fillers, but I will be continuing this story on through to the end. As in, the end of the manga, too. You think I could leave a story at a total drop-off the way Viz Media did with the TV show? ;) On the plus side, this October Viz is airing the new _Inuyasha_ series, which will carry on right where the last one left off (_Inuyasha: The Final Act._) If you haven't heard that already, you should go to the Inuyasha official website for the advertisement. They'll be posting more info later, and I can't wait! :D

(Since FanFiction is being mean, the link will be in my profile if you don't know the website's URL.)

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The Mystery of the New Moon

**Bella's POV**

Oh, man. I was running so _late_.

I tapped my foot on the slate floor under my desk, watching the clock impatiently as it ticked slowly towards two o'clock. When the bell finally rang for dismissal, I nearly leaped out of my seat when I went to grab my backpack.

I scooped it up, throwing it over my shoulder with too little care, and darted for the door.

"Hold it, Bella!" Lauren called after me.

"You're on cleaning duty, too!" Jessica echoed.

I turned around to face my three once-best friends, all looking at me with indignant expectation written all over their faces. Even Ang looked a little upset. I couldn't blame them, really. First I'd been absent for so long, then I wouldn't answer their phone calls or texts (not that either of those were my fault, I'd been back in the Feudal Era and they didn't exactly have cell phone coverage then), and now I was bailing on them yet again. But I really had to go.

Jessica had an eraser in each hand, Angela was paused in the middle of scrubbing off a desk, and Lauren was struggling to balance a broom and bucket in one hand.

"I have to meet someone," I explained hurriedly, as apologetically as I could. "Sorry, please overlook it this time!"

"Someone?" Lauren asked confusedly, a little shocked. "As in, a boy?"

Angela and Jessica gasped as one, my abandonment forgotten in the better excitement of my nonexistent lovelife. I felt like screaming at them. How many times did we have to go through this?

"I already told you, I don't have anyone like that," I snapped. I turned for the door again. "I'll make it up to you."

I ran for the door, opening it just in time to run smack into Mike, who appeared there at the exact wrong time. I slammed into him so hard that whatever he was holding in a little bag of wrapping paper flew out and hit the ground with a clatter. It looked like some sort of hollowed out bamboo half. I blinked in confusion at it, and then turned back to apologize to Mike.

"It hits all the pressure points," he said easily. "Step on it, ok?"

I just stared at him, having no clue what to say. However, it seemed my friends had ample things to.

"Gotta give him points for persistence..."

"He seems nice..."

"But a bit individualistic..."

"He might have better luck with flowers..."

"Do you like movies, Bella?" Mike asked, jerking me out of my unfocused daze. I nodded, praying this conversation wasn't headed where I think it was. "Do you wanna go... just you and me?"

I felt my face heat up, but thankfully was spared the trial of coming up with something to say back because my friends practically pounced on me and dragged me across the room, hissing at me in low, eager voices.

"Did he just ask me on a date?" I asked blankly.

"Sure sounded that way to me," Angela said cheerfully.

"Will you go?" Lauren asked happily.

"You'd be the envy of all the girls," Jessica admitted, and then whispered, "Especially considering it's your first date."

Angela gasped. "Get real! Have you really, truly, never been on a date, Bella?!"

"Come on, give me a break!" I snapped, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this whispering and first-date crap. "Of course I have...!" _never been on a date in my entire life..._

I sighed and walked back over to Mike, leaving them to whisper for themselves. I was already late enough as it was, I couldn't postpone it anymore.

"I guess I'll go," I said easily enough as I walked with him out the classroom door. He hurried to match my rushed pace.

"Really? Ok, then, this Saturday. It's a date. I'll swing by your place at half-past six."

Then he turned and walked in the opposite direction with nothing more than a wave over his shoulder. Whatever. I had more important things to worry about. ...Like Edward not chewing my ears off with lectures about "time" and "women" and "the jewel shards" and "my fault" and "needing to get my priorities in order." God, that guy had the biggest mouth when he wanted to. Who did he think he was, anyway, my father?

_Half-past six, huh? _I gasped. Oh, no, the Past! What was I thinking, making a promise like that? What if I didn't get back in time?

When I finally made it home and had my heavy yellow backpack strapped to my shoulders, standing next to Edward in the wellhouse, I said slowly, "Umm... Do you think I can come back on Saturday?"

"I don't see why not," he said easily, looking a little confused as to why I would even want to come back here. My world was good too, you know! Even better than his!

"Really?" I asked eagerly as he jumped up onto the side of the well and picked me up with one hand by my backpack.

As he held me over the well's opening, he ruined everything by saying, "When, exactly, is this 'Saturday' of yours, again?"

I groaned and let myself fall into the well. I should've known as much.

* * *

**(Still Bella)**

We went rowing down a river wedged in between two moutains, and it was quite peaceful—for once. Almost nothing was peaceful when I went back to the Feudal Era.

I put a hand up to shield my eyes from the bright sun reflecting off the water, just marveling.

"It feels so good out here!" I sighed to myself. I glanced down to check on Seth, who was having some sea-sickness issues, but my eye was caught by a pretty, sparkling green fish under the water. I used the hand up at my eyes to point eagerly. "Look, a fish!" I'd never seen such clear water in my life.

From the front of the boat, Edward turned and looked at me irritably. He'd been boarish ever since we'd come back to his time, and he learned what day it was after I'd explained the days of the week. I'd had to relate them to the phases of the moon for him to get the concept, and as soon as we'd closed that discussion, he'd been really moody.

"Would you mind _focusing_, Bella?" he asked. "We're not here to look at the scenery or have fun."

I was in too good a mood to let him bring me down, no matter what he said, though. "Aye, aye, mon capitain," I joked, putting my right hand to my forehead in a fake salute. He just rolled his eyes and looked away, smirking nonetheless.

I cursorily glanced around the banks of the river, but I knew it'd be pointless. I could feel the tugs of jewel shards before I could see their glow, and I wasn't feeling or seeing anything.

"I don't pick up any signs of jewel shards here."

Seth groaned, throwing himself over the edge of the boat. Edward scoffed.

"Seth, you call yourself a demon? You're not supposed to get _seasick_."

"I'm not trying," Seth groaned, hiccuping. "I feel terrible..."

"Fantastic," Edward said sarcastically. "No one's taking this seriously."

Taking _what_ seriously? I wanted to ask, but didn't. In this mood, he was liable to literally bite my head off. I knew him in this mood, and it usually was enough to keep me pleasant and out of the danger zone. Other times, though, even the warning signs of this mood weren't enough to stop me from flying off the handle myself.

Edward's back suddenly stiffened, and his head whipped around to face forehead.

"What is it?" I asked, and then saw for myself.

Some white stringy stuff was stretched out across the river, from bank to bank, at about head level when we sat down in the boat.

"Spider webs?" Edward murmured, confused, echoing my exact thoughts.

How could spider webs be _that_ long and thick? Wasn't that, like, some physical impossibility? Please? Spiders were creepy enough tiny...

Edward sliced at the nearest string, and it clung to his hand and sleeve. Batting it away furiously, I resisted the wild urge to laugh. He looked like an infuriated puppy, trying to bat away a persistent first fly.

"Master Edward, is something wrong?" asked a familiar voice. Would Myoga always just pop out of nowhere like that?

"Nothing," Edward muttered, looking out over the water. He, unlike Seth and I, didn't look surprised by Myoga's drop-in. He almost looked like he'd been expecting it.

I gasped, pointing. Up on the bank of the river to the right of us, one of the mountains gave way to a sheer cliff, and standing at the top of it was a young girl probably my age or a little older. She was backing away from something, saying fiercely but frightenedly, "Keep away from me!"

A huge black dart of something came out of a nearby push, punching her right in the chest and then retracting back into its hiding place. She tumbled from the cliff, screaming. Edward didn't waste a moment before leaping out of the boat and scooping her up easily. They landed smoothly on the side of the river, on dry rocks.

"What _was_ that?" Edward asked, looking up at the top of the cliff.

The girl slowly opened her clenched eyes and looked up at Edward.

"My thanks," she said tremulously. "You saved me from certain death."

She stared at Edward in confusion, probably noting his extremely pale skin, weird green eyes, and claws. Then she shrieked, trying to push away from him. He just stared at her.

"You're a demon! Unhand me!"

Taking us all by surprise, she smacked him right across the face. I would have laughed if I hadn't been so shocked. Edward himself was so taken aback that he lost his balance on the rock and they both fell into the river.

When we finally fished them out of the water, I put some Neosporin on the girl's cuts while Edward sat at the bank of the water, furiously shaking out his shirt and muttering to himself things like, "Of all the nerve!" and "Didn't want to save her stupid ass anyway!"

"Umm... What _was_ that just now?" I asked the girl.

She was what could have been called pretty if you were into the plain style. She rather looked like me. Dark brown hair tied back in a bun, chocolate brown eyes, pale skin. She was dressed in a rather cheap dress, so I could tell she wasn't exactly nobility around these parts. She was probably just from some local village.

"A demon called a Spider Head," the girl answered, looking away. "They started living in this mountain just after the spring. Several villages have already been attacked. They trap humans in their webs, paralyze them with their venom, and then devour them alive. They're truly frightening demons."

"I see..." I mumbled. Then I nodded once to myself, decision made. I turned and looked over my shoulder at the still-sulking Edward. "Hey, Edward, let's help them."

Soaking wet, his hair falling limply into his eyes, he looked like a half-drowned cat. But he tried to maintain his dignity by holding his back straight and crossing his arms across his chest. Of course, that only made him look funnier, but none of us laughed. I don't think Seth even noticed, still feeling a little sick, and the girl hated demons too much to even glance his way.

"Any sign of jewel shards?" he asked.

"No, and I didn't sense anything from that Spider Head just now either," I admitted.

"Then let's go," he said firmly, trying to make it sound as though there was no room for argument. How could he just abandon all these helpless humans to the Spider Heads?

"I want to cross these mountains by nightfall," he went on.

"But we can't just walk away!" I protested as he stood to go to the boat. "How can you leave these people to die?"

He gave me a withering glance over his shoulder. "I'm not hunting down demons just for goodwill towards humans," he reminded me flatly. "I can remember too many times where they did nothing to help me, so I don't go running off to slay demons just because one of the little ones come running scared to me."

"No one's suggesting you do, but—" I started, but I broke myself off. Argument with him would just end in a huge blowout. What had gotten into him? Usually, he'd at least check things out.

The girl promptly stood up, fists clenched at her sides as she muttered, "I'm going home. No way will I be beholden to a demon!"

I was surprised when Seth came out of his bubble of seasickness long enough to snap angrily at the girl, "He saved your life, you ingrate!"

"Shut up!" the girl yelled furiously and I wanted to smack her for not only being ungrateful to Edward, but for also being so rude to Seth.

Stomping over to the nearest vine that scaled the cliffside, she snapped, "Thank you... for reminding me why I _detest_ demons."

It only served her right, of course, when the vine she was climbing broke apart and she tumbled to the ground. Edward didn't even flinch in her direction that time, all primal instincts of saving her gone. Still, I couldn't ignore all those murdering demons...

Without bothering to help her out of the bush she was now collapsed in, I turned back Edward and smiled as sweetly as I could manage. He seemed to be more inclined to do what I wanted when I acted all nice and sweet torwards him.

"How about we display some of that old-fashioned chivalry?" I asked rhetorically. "Let's at least see her home."

By the time we had climbed all the never-ending stone stairs and reached the girl's temple, the sun was setting in a blaze of gold and pink. Edward was getting more and more uncomfortable in its descent, I noticed, but that was probably because I had rather made him tote the girl on his piggy-back style. After no one had caught her from her second tumble, it turned out the girl had sprained her ankle. Neither of them looked too pleased with the current arrangement.

An old, old man walked out from the shadows of an archway nearby, wearing the medieval garb of a priest or monk. I could never tell the difference between the two back in school, except for monks having the weird haircuts. But this guy had no hair at all. Gaunt, terribly wrinkled face, yes. Thick, bushy, white-gray eyebrows, yes. Cold, beady black eyes, yes. But no hair.

"Maria?" he said uncertainly when he saw the three of us coming up with her, or rather, in Edward's case, carrying her. "Who are these people?"

The girl, apparently called Maria, promptly elbowed Edward right in the right eye, and he sort of groaned and cried out at the same time, as caught off guard by her sudden violence as we were. When Edward was sufficiently distracted with his eye, she pushed him out of the way and ran for the monk. What the heck was her deal? She could've just asked to be let down, or at least told him she wanted to be put down. He would've done it.

"Master!" she cried out, running over to him as desperately as though she thought we were chasing her. I couldn't imagine a demon stupid enough to chase _her_. She was the biggest witch-with-a-capital-_B_ I'd ever seen.

Before she could really reach him, though, her ankle gave out and she fell to her knees in front of him. He laid a sympathetic, if weak, hand on her shoulder.

"Were you attacked by a Spider Head?" he asked concernedly.

Rubbing her ankle furiously, Maria whined, "It spied me while I was attending the gravesites, and I had no choice but to rely on these demons to bring me home. I'm sorry."

I'd never seen Seth get so worked up over one girl. Preparing to make his second big outburst of the day, Seth jumped off my shoulder and put his hands on his hips, angrily exclaiming, "Are you still on about that? All demons are not the same, you know."

"No, I don't suppose they are," the priest agreed wearily, albeit a little suspiciously.

Edward scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned away. "Don't worry," he said sarcastically. "We're leaving anyway."

"No, you can stay the night here at this temple," said the priest swiftly.

"No, Master!" Maria cried out despairingly, disbelievingly. What was her _problem_? We'd saved her life, probably twice, in one day, and she acted like we were the Black Plague incarnate.

The priest laid a heavy hand on Maria's shoulder, as if in warning to shut up. Thank God somebody told her what to do. She was too outspoken, even by my standards that women were always equal to men and had the right to speak freely.

"Now, go and prepare supper," the priest said.

She ducked her head in defeat, and said disappointedly, flatly, "Yes, Master."

Her head still bowed, she limped dejectedly off for wherever the kitchen was in the temple. If there _was_ a kitchen. I'd never exactly stayed in a temple, so I wouldn't have known.

Looking after her sadly, the priest told us, "Forgive her rudeness. Maria's parents were killed by the Spider Heads and she has harbored an understandable fear of demons since then. I've been taking care of her and attempting to quell her fears, but to no avail."

These Spider Heads were starting to sound worse and worse.

"Umm... Are there a lot of Spider Heads in the area?" I asked nervously.

"As more and more men die in war," he said regretfully, "the number of Spider Heads seems to increase." He, like Maria, ducked his head in dejection. "By leaps and bounds."

I barely managed to squeak out, "Leaps and bounds...?" Then I turned and tugged lightly on Edward's sleeve, and he looked down at me expectantly. "Let's take up his offer and stay the night here."

"Why do I have to let some stupid demons rule my life?" Edward retorted, crossing his arms firmly across his chest again.

The priests smiled reasurringly. "I have protected this temple with sacred seals so the Spider Heads cannot enter. You can rest easy."

The more he talked, the more I wanted to stay. I tugged Edward's sleeve again, and said pleadingly, "See!"

He scoffed, refusing to meet my eyes. "I suppose there's no sense in arguing."

The sun set, and we had spectacular meal. It was probably the best meal I'd had since I began eating and part-time living in the Feudal Era. Seth seemed to agree with me.

He leaned back into my backpack, throwing his arms comfortably behind his head, and sighed contentedly.

"That Maria has a sharp mouth," he said easily, "but she sure can cook."

"And I thought you disliked her a while ago," I teased, the fickle little twerp.

"Hey," he said defensively, "a woman that can cook can't be all bad."

I sighed, sending my millionth glance over at Edward. Ever since we'd come inside the temple, he'd sat at the open door, leaning against the frame, glaring out into the night. Was there something out there that we should know about? Was he worried about something? Why did he dislike the idea of staying in this temple so much?

"Edward," I said, raising my voice a little to catch his attention. He sort of started a little and then looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Is something the matter?"

"No..." he mumbled, looking back down into his lap, his troubled expression only deepening.

I moved over and sat right beside him, staring at him speculatively for a moment. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice my proximity for a time. Then he looked up at me and said uncomfortably, "What?"

Suddenly, I got an idea. All the pieces fell into place. Why he didn't want the sun to go down... Why he didn't want to stay in this temple... Why he didn't want to fight the weak demons we'd been hearing so much about...

"I know what's wrong with you," I said, a slow smile starting to form on my mouth at my realization. He sort of flinched and stared at me as frightenedly as though I were about to pronounce the day of his execution. "Edward, are you afraid of spiders?"

Seth, not wasting a moment, promptly cast one of his illusions, transforming himself into a huge, hair, creepy black-and-yellow spider.

"Boo!" he said, hovering right up into Edward's face.

Edward, infuriated by my assumption it would seem, rudely flicked Seth away.

"Am I wrong?" I asked.

Edward raised his glare to me. "Absolutely."

Then he got up without another word and strode angrily outside, but paused on the porch when I called after him, "Where are you going?"

I started to get up and go after him, but his words sort of made me freeze up.

"I'm sleeping outside tonight—alone."

I would have instantly got my back up over that little exclaimation, but then I got worried when I saw Edward's back sort of stiffen as he stared into the bushes around us. And that's when I saw it: we were completely surrounded. Peering out of every single tree and bush and shrub were at least three pairs of large, evil red eyes. What the heck was wrong with Edward? Couldn't he have smelled them all before they got there, and killed them before they posed a real threat? Hadn't he at least _heard_ them outside?

It seemed that all the Spider Heads watching us thought on the same brain wave. They all jumped out of their hiding places as one, landing in front of us, scattered throughout the lawn and garden. They were so creepy looking. They looked like they might have been human at one point, in that they wore the tattered underclothes of human armor, and had body parts similar to a humans': arms, legs, fingers, toes. But they were covered in thick black hair from head to toe. And then their heads were exactly like giant spiders. Now the name wasn't a mystery, at least. Their backs were so hunched, they were practically doubled over as they slumped towards us, baring their claws.

A loud bang behind us told me that there were Spider Heads back in our room, too. I cried out involuntarily, grabbing onto Edward's shirt as though he'd be able to protect me better through contact. Not exactly logical thinking, but it was not really a 'logical thinking' moment.

"There may be many of them," said Myoga, sitting comfortably on Edward's shoulder, which must have meant we stood a good chance, "but they are not formidable opponents. Just a post-meal exercise for you, Master Edward."

Drawing out his un-transformed Fang, Edward scoffed, "Damn that priest. Whatever happened to his 'sacred seals'?"

Even though the Fang wasn't transformed, Edward still ran at the oncoming Spider Heads and managed to cut down two before being assaulted by their webs. Why wasn't his Fang transforming for him?

Over his shoulder, he called, "Bella! Seth! Make your escape!"

"But—" I started to protest. We couldn't just leave him to face all those Spider Heads by himself, especially when the Fang wasn't transforming!

But he cut me off in a deadly calm voice that would rival his brother's. "Bella, for once, do what I say. I can ward them off _alone_."

Apparently, I wasn't the only one noticing Edward's strange behavior. From my shoulder, his little fingers digging into my collar bone, Seth asked tremulously, "What's _with_ him today?"

"And why won't the Fang transform?" I echoed.

As one, all the Spider Heads in the area promptly sprayed and covered Edward with their white webs, trying to catch him up and paralyze him. The usually-microscopic-thin threads of web were combined in each Spider Head until they were as thick as ropes, and coming from so many of them... He was covered almost completely in seconds.

Groaning slightly, his right hand that held the Fang twitched a bit, like he was trying to move but couldn't. Seth didn't miss a beat before leaping off my shoulder, shouting, "Foxfire!"

The green flames came out of his hand, but illusions, however powerful, weren't strong enough for this. The webs stayed put. However, the blue-green light cast from the flames did make for a decent diversion. All the Spiders Heads close to us jumped back a pace or two, staring at us with their creepy cold, dead eyes.

I put my arms under Edward's shoulders, wrapping them around him and pulling. He was a _lot_ heavier than he looked, let me tell you. All that hard skin must have weighed a ton. Seth came and began helping me by cutting the webs with his fire. Edward himself didn't move. For a moment, I thought he might have fallen unconscious until he started to move a little weakly to help me and Seth.

As we ran, I could hear the priest saying weakly to Maria from the next room, "My seals are no longer strong enough to ward off the Spider Heads..."

We figured out that much all by ourselves, if you can believe it.

"_Master, no!_" was probably the last thing I heard out of either Maria or the priest.

Edward, Seth, and I ran about a block away from the temple, hiding out in a thicket of bushes and grass and a very large tree. Edward kneeled down in front of it, still mostly covered in webs. Why wasn't he trying to get those nasty things off?

He jammed the un-transformed Fang angrily into the ground, keeping his back to me and Seth. I shot a panicked glance at Seth, but he just shrugged his helplessness. So I put out a hand to touch Edward's shoulder, to let him know where I was, and asked, "Edward, what's wrong?"

Instead of answering my question, or even acknowledging that I spoke, he flinched away from my hand and practically barked, "Leave me alone!"

That only made me angry. Yanking some of the webs off his head, and I snapped, "What has gotten into you today?"

Most of the webs that were clinging to his skin and hair fell away, and I gasped at the sight of him.

He kept his eyes closed, but he smirked ironically. "Forget about _me_," he said sardonically. "You'd better worry about yourselves first."

Was this even the same boy I knew? He was suddenly... really human-looking. I mean, he'd always been gorgeous and everything, and if anything he was a little less handsome now, but he was still fairly flawless. His face was less sharp, without the hard lines of his pale, hard skin. I could see, even in the dark, that he had a bronzed tan now. Just touching him, I could feel how his skin had gone softer—not flabby, but not marble-hard like normal.

"W-What's happened to your skin?" I barely managed to whisper. He kept his eyes down, refusing to meet mine, and rose slowly. He turned heavily, leaning against the tree, and sank back into a sitting position, farther away from Seth and I. He stared at us with a cold calmness that could rival his brother's.

"If you think I can protect you like usual, you're wrong," he said pulling the last real big rope of webs from his hair.

Seth seemed to be in shock, staring at Edward with wide eyes. "What's this...?" he almost squeaked.

I fell on my knees beside Seth, staring at Edward. It was like a whole new person was sitting in front of me. How could he have kept this a secret? I thought we were supposed to be friends now or something. Stupid me, huh?

"Quit staring at me!" he snapped, starting to look uncomfortable.

"You look just like a human," I said, refusing to readjust my blatantly shocked stare. "What's going on, Edward?"

Calmly, informatively, from my shoulder, Myoga's voice popped up, reminding me of his presence. "Half-demons like Master Edward lose their demon power for a period of time. Because this is a life-threatening period, half-demons never reveal this weakness to anyone. For Master Edward, it turns out that it is the night of the new month, when the moon is dark." He promptly jumped off my shoulder and onto Edward's, practically sobbing in worry, "Why, Master?! Why didn't you at least inform _me_?!"

"If you knew, you'd have been long gone by now," Edward said calmly, quirking an eyebrow like a challenge for Myoga to contradict him.

Momentarily, the flea was silent, sitting on Edward's shoulder in a state of almost shock. We all knew Edward was right, at least about Myoga. But why couldn't he tell...? Then Myoga asked weakly, "Have so little faith in me?"

"I trust you to run away!" Edward snapped, losing his cool.

I felt the irrational angry tears welling up, and fought them back as I choked out, "And what about me? If I had known about your weakness, I would never have insisted that we stay in this den of demons. Do you not trust me that much, either?"

He leaned forward slightly as though to make a point, and said harshly, "I don't trust anyone!"

I just stared at him, forcing myself to not cry. Crying was for stupid bimbos. Not me. For crying out loud, who cried when they were angry, anyway?

Edward seemed to register my expression and said, looking away, "It's got nothing to do with you. That's how I've lived until now. It's the only way I know how to protect myself."

I felt a tear fall down my cheek and gave up, muttering, "I'm sorry for what you went through as a kid and you know it, but... I just thought you could open up to me a little more, as your friend..."

Then I just broke down, sobbing into my hands. It wasn't just Edward. It was all the stress from the last few weeks that had built up. I hadn't really dealt with it at all, and now it was all pouring out of me in a horribly inopportune moment.

I heard Edward gasp a little helplessly, and then say, "H-Hey! Don't cry!"

"It's because you're so stubborn and proud," I cried, and then lowered my hands, glaring at him fiercely, angry tears still in my eyes, "that we're in this mess right now! Grab a brain, wouldja, you stupid idiot!!"

He looked a little frightened by my sudden shift in emotions, but he recovered quickly. "What?!" he roared, getting up slightly.

"You could've said 'no' to staying at the temple!"

"What are you complaining about?! We're safe, aren't we?!"

Dimly, almost like he was a mile away, I heard Seth say exasperatedly, "If Edward is a powerless, mere mortal, I'm the only demon that can protect everyone! I must be strong!"

Over in the far corner of the thicket where Seth was standing by himself, the bushes started rustling rather menacingly, and Seth shrieked, "Spider Heads!" and ran to hide behind Edward, who gripped the rusty Fang tighter.

But when the dark figure completely emerged out of the bushes, it was just Maria. She looked a little beat up, probably from her escape of the Spider Heads, and she fell to her knees, breathing heavily.

"I'm glad you're safe!" I said thankfully. How could I have forgotten her? Looking back, I supposed I was a little more preoccupied with Edward, but that's no reason to totally forget another person in a dangerous situation!

Finally, Maria stopped panting and looked up at us, her eyes begging. "Please save the priest." She glanced uncertainly at Edward and said to me, "That... that demon is strong, isn't he?"

Edward scoffed, standing up. "I thought you said you hated demons?" he said coldly. "Get the priest to write up some more 'sacred seals.' They worked so well the first time."

Sacred? Why did that word remind me of something...?

I was about to yell at him for being so disrespectful and rude, but Maria didn't even seem to hear him. She stared at him blankly, almost dazedly, and said, "Your countenance seems altered... Has your skin not changed? You look like..."

"I've just turned human for a while."

Turned human...? Sacred...? WHY WERE THESE WORDS SO FAMILIAR? I shrieked out loud, suddenly remembering why they rung a bell. The sacred jewel!! I'd forgotten it back in my backpack in the temple!

Seth, in turn, cried out and jumped back, snapping, "What's the matter?"

"I forgot my backpack!" I squeaked.

"So get a new one when you go back home," Edward said carelessly, meeting my eyes for the first time all night, out of pure confusion.

"See, the thing is... the jewel shards are in it..."

"_WHAT?!_"

"Uh... s-sorry?" I tried.

He rolled his eyes, and pushed his hand out towards me so quickly that I instinctively flinched, though I knew it was stupid to even half expect him to hit me. He was holding out the Fang for me.

"Here!" he said. When I peeked open my eyes, my face going red in embarrassment, I saw Edward standing above me, looking a little impatient but more determined.

"You and Maria stay here," he said decisively. More like commanded... "Even if the Fang won't transform, you can hit the Spider Heads on their heads. That seems to work well enough."

He dropped the Fang into my hands and started to walk away without another word or backwards glance.

"Let's go back to the temple, Seth," he said.

"Why do you need me?!" Seth squeaked, frightened.

Edward rolled his eyes and picked up Seth, stalking off into the night of the forest surrounding us. Maria and I glanced at each other uncertainly, and then just settled in to wait.

* * *

**Seth's POV**

When we finally reached the temple again, it seemed the old priest wasn't as helpless as he'd made himself out to be. Chuckling maniacally under his breath, he was busily digging around in Bella's backpack for the jewel shards.

Edward, barely noticing this, picked up a few pieces of the wooden walls that had been blasted away when we were attacked. Carelessly, he chucked them at the priest, and they crashed and shattered against his body. It was obvious that man wasn't human.

Unfortunately, though, it seemed one of the pieces of wood had shattered the jar that Bella kept the jewel shards in. They fell to the floor, scattering with little tinkling noises. The priest bent down nonchalantly to retrieve them, but Edward threw one last piece of wood, nearly cutting the demon's fingers off with a sharp bark, "Hands off!"

When the priest finally turned around to face us, I sort of his behind the wall in fear. He looked normal enough from behind, but when he turned, it was clear that his neck had slightly elongated, and fangs had become more pronounced... in short, he had the head of a spider, too.

"So you were planning this from the start?" Edward asked.

The demon stood up, chuckling as he glared at Edward. "I heard rumors that a half-breed was roaming around with fragments of the Sacred Jewel."

I glanced at the ground, realizing that while Edward kept the demon talking, I could gather up the shards. I ran into the middle of the room where they were, and scrambled to catch up at least two or three before the demon realized what was happening.

I had five shards in my hands when the demon turned around and growled at me. There were still four left on the ground, but I had to jump back to Edward to avoid getting killed then and there. The demon still partially disguised as a priest bowed over the shards, and his mouth because a sort of air vacuum, sucking in the remaining four jewel shards on the ground.

"Darn it! He got some of them!" I said apologetically. Edward took no notice of me.

The demon crouched down on all fours, looking eerily like a human-spider in the way that his legs and arms began to stretch out like the legs of an inhuman creature. His front left hand shot out and grabbed Edward's throat, faster, it seemed, than Edward could react in his human state. He was pinned up in the air against the back wall we'd just broken in through, and the digusting demon man continued his amused explanation while Edward struggled for breath.

"And of all the luck, you fell into my trap just as your demonic powers deserted you!"

Edward's eyes slowly opened, and it looked like it took him a minute to be able to focus on the demon. But when he did, he groaned under his breath, "I may not have my usual power, but my human strength can still crush you!"

He managed to push away the demon's hand, and pushed off from the wall in an effort to charge at the demon. However, without his normal vampire speed, he was easily held back by a surge of the priest's web. He was once again pinned, this time to the ground, right next to me.

"Foxfire!" I shouted, throwing a ball of the blue-green flames at the demon's hand, but it deflected it easily and slapped me away.

I struggled to sit up, gasping from the wind taken out of me, and saw Edward being pulled up by the shoulders with the webs, like a sick, live puppet. There was still a large rope of webs around his throat, constricting his air enough to abate his threat, but not enough to kill him right off. Enough to torture him.

"Pretending to be human is quite a burden," said the demon, laughing slightly like this was all a joke.

He slouched over, his shoulders bowing as though under a great weight. A bright light started from nowhere, growing and growing inside the demon until I hit the ground on my stomach and covered my eyes. The light was too bright, it hurt to look at.

When it finally went away and I looked back up again, the priest-demon had somehow transformed himself into a giant human web. Where what would normally be webs where what looked like arms and legs, only there were far to many, criss-crossing and overlapping in exactly the same way a spider makes its web. Edward was near the middle of it all, still suspended by the webs.

"_Die!_" the demon shouted, his head darting out to meet Edward's shoulder with his large, spider-like fangs.

Edward's face went rigid in fear and shock, but he didn't move otherwise except to let out a sort of groan. The demon stayed fixed to his shoulder, not removing his fangs until Edward's body fell limply backwards, still dangling by the web that held him in the air.

The demon turned to me, and I froze, staring into its beetle-black eyes.

"Now then, I'll take the Sacred Jewel pieces!" he said briskly, like it was a pleasure run he'd seen through to the end.

_Be brave! Be brave! Be strong! Edward was strong, and brave! You can do it!_

"N-No!" I said defiantly, albeit weakly.

"Then you, too—"

He was interrupted by a horrified cry of, "Master!"

I turned around to face to doorway, and for once I was thankful that Bella had a stubborn streak in her and wouldn't listen to Edward if his life depended on it. There she and Maria stood, Bella holding the Fang, Maria cupping her mouth in horror, and both of them looking disgustedly shocked.

"He tricked you," Bella said simply.

"Bella!" I called, trying not to cry as I pointed towards the mess of tangled webs and arms and legs that was Edward's limp self. "Edward is...!"

Bella didn't need anymore. It would have been funny if I wasn't so petrified. Her eyes snapped up immediately, and locked on Edward, whose body was tilting rigidly in the web. He was paralyzed by the poison that the spider-demon-priest-man-thing had injected into his shoulder.

Apparently instinct, she started to run towards him, and the spider guy tried the same thing, shooting web ropes at her. She held up the Fang against the ropes, leaning away from the blast of shock that came when the sword deflected the webs. How was that even possible?

From her shoulder, Myoga said, "The Fang's powers are at work."

Bella spared him once glance before looking back up at Edward, her face calculating as she probably thought how to reach him.

"Seeing _you_ here must mean we have a chance," she said sarcastically.

"What are you insinuating?" Myoga asked, narrowing his beetle-like eyes.

The demon chuckled, apparently through listening to our conversation. He looked at Edward as he spoke. "You've taken quite a bit of my toxin," he said. "Soon, you'll start to corrode from the inside!"

Maria stared up at the demon with desperate tears in her eyes as she whispered, more to herself than anything else, "No... Master..."

Bella used Maria's words and actions as a momentary diversion. She began to climb up the limb-web that the demon had created from his own body, faster and faster as she got closer to Edward. Edward himself noticed her approaching, just sort of staring at her, like he was out of his body.

I barely heard his weak little groan over the rest of the room's little noises, "Bella... Run..."

Throwing her arms over the last rung of limb-web, she glared up at him. "Not a chance."

"I'm serious!" Edward attempted to sound angry at her, but it still came out too weak. I think Bella realized that, and that's what made her look so sad. "It's too late for me."

She didn't lessen her glare on him, though tears were starting to fill her eyes as she pulled herself up. "I _refuse_ to leave here without you!"

She threw herself up into the air, holding the sheathed Fang out in front of her to hit the webs above Edward. As she did so, the tears that had been welling up in her eyes spilled over, and sort of rained on Edward. The webs were blown away, and Edward and Bella crashed back to the ground in a heap.

When my eyes had readjusted after the bright light, I saw them both on the ground a little ways in front of me, Bella somehow having landed on top of Edward, who appeared to have gone unconscious whether from the fall or the poison.

Bella's head snapped up and she started shouting instructions at me and Maria.

"Hurry, outside!"

I turned my head to obey and run outside, but I saw three Spider Heads standing guard there, glaring at us with their creepy evil eyes as though daring us to try it.

"Not outside," I muttered.

"There's a small room in the back of the main hall!" Maria said.

The two of us kneeled down and helped Bella lift up Edward, and we all three darted for the left exit door.

The demon spider followed us with startling swiftness, calling, "As if you can get away!"

I threw open the nearest door, not even caring if it was the room Maria had been talking about. When the others had run inside after me, dragging Edward behind them, I slammed it shut just in time to see the demon rounding the corner after us.

From her shoulder, Myoga said urgently, "Bella, thrust the Fang into the door! Hurry!"

Bella nodded and unsheathed the Fang, and stabbed the door with the rusty old blade. Outside, we could all hear what sounded like the priest trying to open the door, only to be met with the Fang's barrier.

"W-What?! Damn!" he yelled, sounding shocked and definitely mad now. I trembled slightly, edging farther away into my corner.

"The Fang's power will ward them off for a while," Myoga said, sounding a little undone himself.

Bella gasped a little, and I nearly jumped out of my skin turning to look at her. She stared down at Edward's hand, which had sort of fallen across her lap in the confusion, and she picked it up, staring at it in horror. And the problem with his hand was...?

"His hands are freezing," she said worriedly. She glanced at his unconcscious face in shock, and I think the realization that Edward could actually die was suddenly dawning on her. That's what her face looked like, at least. "Edward, you have to hang on!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I lost track of time without the sun or moon or even the sky to tell me. After several minutes, or hours, the others and I started to relax a little. Seth even rolled over onto his back near Edward's feet and fell asleep.

I stared at Edward, willing him to wake up. He couldn't die. It would be my fault.

"Just because I insisted that we stay here," I said, accidentally out loud.

"It's not your fault," said Maria from her corner, and I jumped in slight shock. I'd thought she was sleeping, too.

"But it _is_...!"

I clenched my eyes shut tight, willing the stupid tears to go away. I'd cried once tonight already, wasn't that enough? Besides, what would they solve? They'd only give me a headache on top of everything else.

Myoga lithely jumped up Edward's body until he reached his throat, where he paused and said, "I shall suck out the poison."

I winced a little when he bit Edward's neck. It was the thought that so gross a thing as a flea was actually biting a friend... Ugh. But if it was going to save his life, that was the least of my worries.

He stayed there, sucking Edward's blood for so long that he actually grew in size, until he was only slightly smaller than Seth himself. Then he looked a little sick, and pulled away.

"I've put on a few pounds here..." he groaned dizzily. He rolled over and over himself until he lied on his back next to the sleeping Seth. "Now it's up to Master Edward."

He burped and promptly fell asleep. Edward's head turned a bit, and he started breathing heavily, like he was in pain. Drops of sweat beaded at his forehead and ran along his cheeks toward the floor.

I pulled out one of the handkerchiefs that I always kept in my skirt pockets and dabbed at his forehead. His breath stalled a bit, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. I jumped back, slapping my head against the wall behind me in shock. Rubbing it, I asked, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

He turned away from me, his head lolling towards the ground listlessly, so that I couldn't see his eyes anymore.

I thought he'd fallen asleep again when he spoke softly, almost too softly for me to hear.

"Bella," he said, and it surprised me that he sounded confused, "why? Why were you crying?"

I blinked, too taken aback to even know what he was talking about. Then, with a flash of recognition and a flush across my cheeks, I remembered, "You mean, back in the other room?" I hesitated. I didn't want to say it, he'd probably just scoff at me for feeling anything for him. "Because I... I thought you were going to die."

Instead of laughing at me like I half-expected, he still just looked confused, like he couldn't understand the concept of someone worrying over him. It made me want to cry even more.

Almost curiously, he went on, "Crying... for me?" Then he shut his eyes for a brief second, and seemed to put the thought away for a bit. He changed the subject. "Let me use your lap."

That shocked me more than anything. Instead of using his usual peremptory tone when he said 'let me use your lap,' he used a totally different voice. He said it like it was really up to me, like he was giving me the choice and that my answer actually mattered for once.

I shook my head. He was lying on the ground practically dying of poison and I'm sitting here ruminating on his words?

"Ok."

I wasn't sure if I should move him, or if he was going to move himself, but that became clear after about two seconds when he shut his eyes tight again, his breath going shallow once again. I moved so that I was kneeling beside his head, and lifted his shoulders and head and put him across my thighs. I was grateful for the skirt I wore today. It was longer than most of the others.

More time passed. I wasn't sure how long. Everyone else seemed to have fallen asleep, including Edward, but I couldn't. I was too wound up. Not just because of Edward being poisoned, but because I was afraid with how quiet it was outside from the demon, and I was _really_ afraid over Edward's polite, confused, pleading tones, so different from the angry, demanding ones he usually used.

Over time, Myoga shrunk back to his normal size, Seth rolling over on top of him without him actually noticing, and Maria slumped against the wall in a deeper sleep. I still couldn't fall under. I felt Edward move a bit and looked down. His eyes were still closed, but he wasn't sleeping.

"Do you feel any better?" I whispered, trying not to wake the others.

"Yes." He paused, still not opening his eyes. Then he turned his head slightly, pressing his face into my shirt. "You smell nice."

Blushing hopelessly, I got a little worried. "Ok, what's up with you? You made a point of telling me before that you couldn't stand my scent."

"I did," he agreed, still refusing to open his eyes, "...but I was lying."

Why was he being so nice all of a sudden? Had the poison affected him so much that he thought he had to be nice before he died or something? _And why is my heart pounding so hard?_

I looked down to say something else, about why he was acting so weird, but I noticed his breaths were coming deeper and more evenly. He'd fallen asleep again.

Just then, the walls started shaking and rumbling, and there were vibrations in the floorboards beneath me. What the...? Dust and other debris started falling from the ceiling, things that hadn't been dislodged in a long time, apparently.

The others woke up in a shock, but Edward stayed fast asleep, just draped across my lap like nothing was happening. Which, in his dreams at the moment, nothing probably was.

"What's going on?!" Seth panicked, rolling over on all fours and arching his back like an alarmed cat. Even his furry little tail stood on end. Myoga, in the process of Seth's movements, was thrown to the floor.

"Probably the priest's doing," he grumbled, annoyed at the rude awakening. "How is Master Edward?"

"He's not recovered yet," I said hurriedly. "He's unconscious!"

There was a grunt of exertion from outside, and part of the ceiling collapsed on us. I let out an involuntary shriek, instinctively throwing myself over Edward. The Fang popped out of the door with a dull clang, and fell to the floor uselessly.

With another yell of momentum, the demon fell back, and yanked the entire ceiling off with him. Throwing it aside, he thrust his arm in his newly-made hole and grabbed Seth by the leg, yanking him outside.

"I'm taking possession of the remaining jewel fragments!" the priest/demon growled.

He held Seth up close to his face and started shaking him upside down, making all the little trinkets and things Seth collected in his pockets fall out: acorns, tops, various shiny things, and four jewel shards. When the demon saw those glittering lilac shards, he literally threw Seth away, and caught up the shards greedily.

Trying not to hurt him, I pushed Edward back onto the floor and ran outside as fast as my legs (and clumsiness) would allow, barely managing to catch Seth before he hit the cold ground hard.

The demon, looking like a fat kid with spaghetti, spread his hand over his face and sloppily ingested the shards. The he laughed, and all resemblance to a human in him fell away. His skin was a sickly gray color, his eyes yellow and veiny, and his fangs grew infinitesimally.

Maria, clutching the useless Fang, came running outside, her face dark with anger.

"How dare you posess the body of my master!" she said hotly.

"There never was a priest," the demon spat contemptuously, like he hated having to explain things to backwards children. "All of this was to lure the half-breed who possessed the jewel shards."

Maria gasped, and under my panic I felt a wave of sympathy for her.

"You... You slaughtered my parents and the rest of the villagers?!" she whispered hoarsely, but the demon heard.

The demon cackled evilly, and said, "You served me well, thinking that it was all part of a vendetta."

"How dare you!" Maria screamed again and ran forward, whacking the spider demon's leg with the sword. Of course, it did nothing but bounce back with a dull clang, but she kept going until the demon grabbed her up in a tight fist and held her close to his face.

"You need not fear the Spider Heads anymore," he said composedly. "Once dead, you will become one of us!"

"Damn you," Maria spat, barely managing to whisper through the strangle-hold the demon had on her. "Forgive me, Father... I was such a fool..."

Her face went pale, and her hands started shaking with her effort to stay alive without breathing. They actually shook so hard she dropped the sword, which fell through the air quickly. Watching Maria helplessly, I half expected the sword to shatter on the ground.

A tanned hand shot up out of nowhere and caught it with ease at the hilt. I gasped. It was Edward. What was he doing up and out? He was still weak from the poison, and in human form at that! He was no stronger than the rest of us, and yet he stood there staring up at the demon bold as you please, smirking with the confidence of a powerful fighter.

He glanced at Maria briefly, "You're pretty determined for a human."

Maria's eyes widened, and she barely gasped out, "You're alive...?"

The demon threw Maria aside like he had Seth, and shot out several arms, catching up Edward by his arms and head and yanking him into the air in order to eat him. Edward just stood there, letting it happen with that same smirk still in place.

"No, Edward!" I hadn't realized that the voice that said that had been me, until Seth pointed to the left of us, pulling on my shirt.

"The dawn is breaking!"

The golden sunlight of dawn was rapidly spreading over the hills and grassy plains nearing us, but it wasn't coming fast _enough_.

"You're just a human right now," the demon taunted, looking at Edward closely.

"Don't be so sure about that," said Edward, completely nonchalant.

Even from my stance down and away a good fifteen feet from him, I could see him start to pulsate just like he had when I'd destroyed the arrow pinning him to the sacred tree. His powers were returning, and I'd never been so happy to be partially blinded by the sun as it streamed over us.

For an instant, Edward's eyes glowed red, and it almost frightened me, but then they went back to their emerald green, and his skin started to get paler and paler with each passing second.

"Why you... Back to normal...?!" the demon blustered. "Well, before you transform, I shall devour you!"

I smiled to myself, biting my lip to keep back the stupid giddiness. The demon was too late. Edward was already back to normal, glaring at the demon with his self-assured air.

"Will you _stop touching me_ with your disgusting, ugly arms?!"

In a flash, Edward had sliced the arms away from himself, the Fang had transformed to its full size, and Edward had easily sliced through and destroyed the monster. Him, and the surrounding Spider Heads. When his body had disintegrated, a huge chunk of Sacred Jewel fell to the ground, clinking off a stone. It was almost a third of the whole jewel, with jagged edges on the inside, but smooth and rounded on the other.

The four of us stood looking at it, shock, awe, disappointment, frustration, and relief just seeming to float on the tense atmosphere.

"The pieces of the jewel became one?" I asked blankly, not intentionally out loud. _I need to stop doing that... _I kneeled down beside the large shard, and picked it up. "They must have calcified in the demon's body."

"Is that all we have?" Edward asked, frustrated and a little surprised. "I thought we had a lot more!"

I laughed once, but it came out as a surprised noise more than an amused one. "Hey, it's enough to impress this girl."

* * *

**(Still Bella)**

Later that afternoon, we were back in the rinky-dink little rowboat that Edward had gotten from one of the villages we'd passed through, and we were on our way once again. About a mile or so out of the temple's base at the river, Maria stopped us, and pointed towards the bank without a word.

When Edward had steered the boat over to the bank, she got out and said tersely, "This far is fine. The village is close by."

Despite it all, I was a little sad to see her go. "Um... Take care, then."

She blushed, a little angrily, and said, "Edward... thank you. I'll try to remember that there _are_ some good demons out there. Not many, but some."

I sighed, looking down into the bottom of the boat. _Well, it's a start._

As we rode the ripples and small currents out into the river again, Edward said flatly, "Forget that. _All_ demons are bad."

Seth and I shared a small smile. We all knew Edward was just trying to hide his embarrassment at being caught in another 'good Samaritan' act as he called it snidely.

"I won't forget, Edward!" Maria called as we were leaving. "I won't forget you!"

Edward sort of glanced at her for a second, then rolled his eyes and looked away, scoffing, "Whatever." Then he waved sarcastically back to her, wiggling a few fingers, before plopping back down into his seat. He could have been a littler nicer to her, but that was just his way, I supposed.

He _seemed_ ok to me, but...

_Then he turned his head slightly, pressing his face into my shirt. "You smell nice."_

Had I heard that right? Had I imagined it or something? If he did say it, did he mean it, or was he worried he'd die soon with me hating him or something?

I hadn't realized I was staring at him speculatively until he turned and snapped, "What are you _staring_ at? If you've got something to say, say it!"

I rolled my eyes and looked out over the water. _Forget it. He's still the same._

Collapsed over the back end of the boat, Seth groaned, "Ughh... Edward, let's stop and rest."

"Sure!" Edward said, and I stared at him confusedly. Then it made more sense when he added, "Get over your seasickness, and I'll stop."

Seth glared at him over his shoulder before his eyes glowed a little with an idea. I instinctively backed away from both of them.

"Hey, Edward," Seth said, still sounding sick to his stomach, but now more curious, "look over there..."

Edward did as he was asked, and Seth puked all over his lap. Edward sort of shrieked like a girl in disgust and jumped into the water, frantically trying to clean off his shirt and pants. I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes tight to stop the laughter I knew would only get me in trouble.

* * *

**And that's it for now. I'm not sure when my next update will be, but I'll try to make it soon. I still have to read _The Great Gatsby_ for school, and I really don't want to. Still, I've been trying to update a lot recently because school starts up again in about a week and a half and the newer chapters will come much slower. Here's the preview:**

* * *

**BELLA'S POV: **In a battle for the Sacred Jewel fifty years ago, Edward was bound to a tree by a priestess' arrow. Irina's sister, Tanya, was fatally injured in that fight. We returned from our journey to find Tanya's gravesite violated! Who was it that robbed her grave? What were they after? Something tells me there's about to be a lot of trouble. Next time: "Tanya's Stolen Ashes"!


	14. Return of the Tragic Priestess, Tanya

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**This is a combination of what should have been two chapters, so it's extra-long. Hopefully, it'll make up for what I think might be a long update time. School starts up again soon, and I've been suuuper busy. I'll try to update at least once a week from now on, though. :)**

**You all will probably dislike me even more for using this song for Edward and Tanya, but this is what really fit them this time around. I'm using most of the song cuz it's just perfect :)**

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE WHO WATCH INUYASHA: **This is where things start changing for the television series. Tanya has always been a vampire in the books, right? So what do you think she's going to be here? Meaning, no soul collectors, no stolen souls and all that jazz. And I'm going to put the episode "Tragic Love Song of Destiny" up sooner. It'll actually be within a few chapters. I just thought the placement of it was a little weird in the tv show, so it's coming sooner here. Things are about to get a little different.

**Chapter Summary:** Tanya, who died in a battle for the Sacred Jewel fifty years ago, is resurrected and turned into an immortal. If the Sacred Jewel burst from Bella's body, then perhaps she really is the reincarnation of Tanya. The sorceress/vampire Sasha forces Bella to drink a potion and the soul is sucked from her very body. Tanya and Edward are reunited are a fifty year separation, but it's anything but happy. Rather than fond memories, Tanya still harbors a deep hatred and she tries to kill Edward.

* * *

_How can I decide what's right when you're clouding up my mind?  
I can't win your losing fight all the time  
Nor could I ever own what's mine when you're always taking sides  
But you won't take away my pride  
No, not this time  
Not this time_

_How did we get here when I used to know you so well?  
How did we get here? Well, I think I know_

_The truth is hiding in your eyes, and it's hanging on your tongue  
Just boiling in my blood, but you think that I can't see  
What kind of man that you are, if you're a man at all  
Well, I will figure this one out on my own  
(I'm screaming I love you so)  
On my own  
(But my thoughts you can't decode)_

_Do you see what we've done?  
We've gone and made such fools of ourselves  
Do you see what we've done?  
We've gone and made such fools of ourselves_

_There is something I see in you  
It might kill me, I want it to be true_

"Decode," Paramore

* * *

Return of the Tragic Priestess, Tanya

**Irina's POV**

The memories of the room I now occupied in my house were overwhelming at certain times, and this was one of them. It was always hard, and it seemed only harder as I grew older, to bear the loss of my sister. But to live alone in the house we had shared all her life was hardest of all.

Tossing and turning and fighting the memories so I could sleep, I heard a loud bang outside.

_Not another demon._

Groaning at the aches and creaks in my old joints, I quickly jumped out of bed and, grabbing my bow and quiver of arrows, ran outside.

There was nothing immediately wrong. Other villagers were coming outside, too, to see what had caused the commotion, so I knew I hadn't imagined it. Some of the men who appeared in their doorways were only half-dressed. I learned from my sister long ago to sleep in your next day's clothes in case of emergencies in the night. I had been prepared for this, even if my old body hadn't.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something white with a distinctly yellow garment on, literally flash past us, on its way to the stairs that led up to the monument that honored my sister's grave. The being paused at the bottom and looked up eagerly, and the rest of us got a clear image of it.

It had to be the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She was paler than the moon that shone on her, and her hair was jet black. She had full lips that, too, were white, though she didn't appear in the least bit shocked or upset. She wore a canary yellow peasant's dress, and looked, if anything, overly excited. She carried no weapons or anything to protect herself—only a satchel, which was strange considering she was invading a village.

I nocked an arrow and she turned to me, smirking. I almost dropped my bow in shock. Her eyes were blood red. I knew she wasn't human, and yet I had to be sure. I fired the arrow without blessing it, making it a normal attack that any human would have. The arrow struck her directly on target, right on the area where her heart was—and shattered. Completely destroyed by colliding with her skin.

The men of the village gathered around me carrying spears and swords, shouting and whispering and altogether exuding shock and fear.

Grabbing another arrow from my quiver, I shouted, my voice breaking embarrassingly, "Who are ye?"

The woman just smiled at us as though we were children to her, and was literally gone in a flash up the stairs. The only I knew who could move that quickly was Edward. Was she a vampire?

When we reached the top of the stairs, we should have seen the small monument dedicated to my sister standing proudly, albeit weathered. Instead, my vision was promptly obscured my two village men falling down, having been killed so quickly none of us even saw what happened. How could anyone defeat a foe that was too quick for them to even see?

Before I could blink, she was already standing beside the monument, her pale fingers caressing the straight lines of the sides. She was speaking to herself.

"Here it is... There is no mistake."

She kneeled down onto the ground and dug her left hand into the earth, pulling up a handful of dirt and shaking it out over her palm speculatively as she mused, "Just enough moisture, and the soil is good, too."

"Intruder!" I barked, aiming another arrow at her, this time for her head. And I would bless this one with as much spiritual energy as I could. She should be blown to bits when I fired. "I asked who ye are! Identify thyself!"

Walking around the monument to the other side and feeling the dirt there, too, the specter snapped, "Silence! My only business is with the urn buried here. Once I possess it, I shall leave this sore sight of a village."

How could she know what was buried there? The monument, though dedicated to my sister, was unmarked and only indicated that a saintly being had passed in this village. She couldn't have known that my sister's urn of ashes was buried beneath it.

"Leave immediately!" I shouted. "Else I'll show no mercy!"

"Persistent wretch," the woman growled, glaring at me through those shockingly red eyes. "You would have done well not to cross my path!"

I ignored her words, firing my arrow with perfect aim as Sister had taught me all those years ago. Shocking me completely, the power that should have come with my being a priestess and blessing the arrow was absent. The arrow was meaningless, as any other mortal's would be. Once again, it shattered against her skin.

"Did I not tell you to leave me be?" she said, her voice menacingly low.

In a flurry of white and yellow, she was twirling and almost flying with speed, cutting into the dirt at my sister's gravesite and completely destroying the monument. I was hit by a flying shard of rock, and it cut my arm something awful.

The woman ignored us altogether while the men tried to huddle about to protect me. She stopped moving with dizzying suddenness, and reached into the ground as calmly as though she were rummaging in her chest of drawers. When she pulled her hand back out, an all-too-familiar white urn was resting in her palm.

I stood as quickly as I could, clutching my wounded shoulder and crying, "No! Take not my sister's ashes! I will not allow you to have them. Not a demon like you!"

Making a jump that should have been impossible, the freakish demoness landed on one of the topmost branches of a nearby oak tree, laughing menachingly.

"Your threats fall on deaf ears, priestess," she called down to us. "I am the immortal—Sasha. Tanya's ashes are now in _my_ possession!"

How could she know my sister's name, when this woman was young enough to be my own daughter? Tanya's legend had all but vanished, except to those who lived in our village.

Before I could voice my questions and demand answers, in another flash of white and yellow, the woman was gone, leaving behind my sister's desicrated gravesite.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

_It was nighttime. I didn't know where I was, or why I was running, I only knew that I had to keep going or something would catch up to me. I didn't even know if the thing I was running from was animate or feeling, but I couldn't face it yet._

_I heard an all-too-familiar, infuriated voice yell, "Edward!"_

_On a reflex reaction, I turned my head to see why she was calling me in such an angry way._

_Pain shot through my chest like fire, and I cried out involuntarily as I was pushed back, slamming against a tree and nailed there with an arrow. I tried to touch it to pull it out of me, but it sent a horrible shock right up my arm to my shoulder when I got too close. Damn the wench that did this to me._

_But who was she?_

_I looked up, my eyes searching the empty grounds until I found a woman, a priestess, standing before me. Her dark brown, almost black hair blew about wildly either with her rage or with the wind, I wasn't sure, and her brown eyes blazed with hatred._

_Bella? But why—?_

_No, it wasn't Bella. It was Tanya. The one who bound me to a tree. As I stared at her in horrified shock, her brown eyes met mine and seemed to expand, enveloping me in their promise to kill me._

I darted upright, crying out loud. Good thing for my fast reflexes, or I would have fallen off the high tree branch I had gone to sleep on.

It was a dream. It was just a dream. But it _had_ happened once.

I grumbled under my breath, pushing my damp hair out of my eyes. I could have done without those nasty memories.

Instinctively, I tensed when I heard slow, even breaths below me. Even after this much time, I wasn't used to traveling with company. But I had no reason to worry. At the base of the tree I sat up in, Bella had lit a fire and pulled out some sort of wrap-around blanket that made her look like she was being eaten by a fluffy worm. Seth, in either cowardice or loneliness, had crawled up inside there with her and was sleeping peacefully, against her arm.

I jumped off my branch, landing easily on the ground, not making any sound loud enough for them to hear and wake up to. I walked around to the side by the fire, simultaneously warming myself and, though I would rather die than admit it, watching Bella.

It wasn't like I was awed by her or anything. But she looked exactly like Tanya, only slightly younger, and much happier. Remembering Tanya's heated glares, I knew not to think Bella was totally innocent, either. She had a horrible temper. Just like Tanya had, only Tanya had almost never let anything but her temper show through.

They were nearly identical. It was no wonder I had them confused in my dream.

I froze when Bella yawned and opened her eyes, already caught red-handed. Moving with startling speed for a human, Bella's sleepy eyes took in me staring at her and she darted upright, literally smacking me across the face.

What the hell?

When I straightened back up and glared at her, she just yawned again, rubbing her eyes like a child. I just stared while she said wearily, "Geez, Edward, don't scare me like that. I thought you were a bad demon."

Glaring, I pointed rather viciously at my reddened cheek. She blushed and covered her mouth. Was she actually trying not to _laugh_? Was the idea of hitting me _humorous_ to her?

"Oops," Bella laughed. "Did I slap you just now? Sorry."

"I was wrong, you don't look like her!" I said vindictively.

"Look like who?" she asked confusedly.

"You're not even _remotely_ similar!"

Her face started to get darker in frustration. "Remotely similar to _who_?"

I bit my lip, and I could have kicked myself. Why had I gone and said something like that? I tried to end the subject by turning away, partially from embarrassment and partly from frustration.

Still, she said, "What is it?"

"Nothing," I snapped, glaring at the fire.

It really had been stupid to think that Bella and Tanya were anything alike. Tanya had been constrained by her position as priestess. She could show no weaknesses such as true emotions. Whereas Bella had obviously grown up loved and adored, and was able to freely express herself. Tanya was strong and proud, Bella was still an innocent girl. Neither was better than the other, but they were nothing alike. Only in looks were they similar.

A light breeze rustled past, and with my keener sight I noticed a vampire or other demon that could run with exceptional speed dart past us. Bella only noticed the breeze, but I also smelled strange things from the demon. There were too many scents floating on the breeze for me to identify them all, and I sifted through to the most important. There was soil, and a lot of it. And blood. And it was from a familiar person.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Edward barely managed to make it to sunrise, when he literally threw my sleeping bag into my backpack and made us take off for Irina's village. He wouldn't tell us what was so important there, but I kept asking anyway.

Seth, rolling over onto his back and nestling down into the basket on the handlebars of my bike as I rode it down the dirt path, yawned, "What's the rush? I'm still sleepy."

We finally made it back to Irina's village at about noon, just in time to see Irina, her right arm in a sling and closely followed by a concerned young woman, coming squinting out of her house.

"Lady Irina, you mustn't move as of yet," the lady reprimanded worriedly.

"Pay no mind," Irina snapped, looking irritable. "'Tis but a flesh wound."

"Irina!" I called, smiling and waving in an effort to cheer her up. It worked to an extent. She and the lady looked up, surprised, and Irina even smiled slightly, but something was obviously troubling her.

I ground my feet into the ground, stopping my bike just in front of her, and Seth looked over the edge of the basket curiously when I asked, "What happened to you?"

In a flash of red, Edward was by my side, looking strangely relieved and exasperated. As though he had been expecting the worst and was relieved that it hadn't happened, but was furious over the wasted trip. I knew him well enough to know by now though that he was also exasperated because of Irina's stubbornness. I was proud of Edward for bothering to care. When I'd first met him, he would have laughed and gone on with life, not even sparing Irina a second glance. Now he'd dragged me and Seth all the way back to her village just to check on her. He was making such progress!

Still, he was stubborn, too, and would never show that progress. If he was even conscious of it.

When he paused beside me, his eyes cursorily scanned Irina for injuries and, convinced that it was just her shoulder, scoffed and said rudely, "So you're still alive, huh? Trust an old goat like you to refuse to give injuries enough time to heal."

Irina gestured to the stone steps that I had never gone near before, leading up and away from her house to the top of a nearby hill. She apparently would need help getting to the top. She leaned against me heavily as we started to walk, step by slow step, but I didn't mind. Edward trailed along behind us lazily.

"This is nothing!" Irina insisted, adding, "So, you picked up the scent of my blood on the demon, did you?"

Edward narrowed his eyes, but his face still wasn't that angry. He used to be so closed off and shut down, and now he was becoming an open book to me. One of us was changing, and I wasn't sure if it was me becoming more in tune with him, or him just becoming softer.

"Don't change the subject on me," he snapped. "Swallow your pride and take it easy! You've got your age to think about."

"Ohhh." I turned and glanced at Edward over my shoulder, smirking slightly. "I get it. You wanted to come back here because you were worried about Irina."

He just rolled his eyes at me as if to say, 'Shut up,' but once again he didn't look cold enough to pass it off.

When we reached the top of the stairs, I still wasn't looking like I should have been, and thought there was another one when there wasn't. So I tripped on nothing but air, and would have fallen flat on my face if Edward hadn't caught and righted me.

I blinked, staring in shock at the enormous crater, and the chunks of sharp rock that littered the ground near it. The hole in the ground had to be five feet deep, and twenty feet wide. What could have done something like that? What was it for?

"What is this?" I asked.

Irina walked to the edge of the crater and looked down into it, somewhat bitterly.

"This used to be my sister, Tanya's gravesite," she said informatively.

At the name 'Tanya' both Edward and Irina's faces went blank. It was as though there was some rule that I'd missed out on. _Never show any emotion when Tanya's name is mentioned!_

"I was not strong enough to help her," Irina continued flatly. "My sister had unusually strong powers, even for a priestess. If her ashes fall into the hands of some demon, who knows to what evil purpose they will be exploited?"

Taking me by complete surprise, Edward looked down into the would-be grave, scoffed, and walked away without another word.

"Edward," Irina called to him, more pleading than stating. It was obvious that she wanted us to help get the ashes back.

Edward stopped at the top of the steps, his entire body rigid. I could practically feel the anger rolling off of him in waves. "You're on your own," he snapped. Finally, he turned to face us and I gasped, realizing I'd spoken too soon. His face was cold, angry, and closed off. He looked exactly the same as he had when he'd first awakened on the tree. "Apparently you've forgotten that Tanya and I were enemies. I am not so lucky." He laid a heavy hand across his heart without looking at what he was doing. "I can still feel the pain of the arrow she used to pierce my chest."

His voice, too, had gone deadly calm and derisive. He could have rivaled his brother in that moment for cold contempt.

The lines in Irina's old face seemed to grow deeper with her disappointment, and she stared down into the hole sadly. "Forgive me..." she mumbled, but I doubted that Edward had heard her. He had already stalked off down the stone steps.

I'd already heard the story from Irina. The story of what had happened fifty years ago. But for Edward, it must seem like it was only a few weeks ago. He'd been unconscious the entire time, put under Tanya's spell.

_Edward jumped into the air and used his short claws to cut through the thin ropes. He laughed a little, hearing the men of the village warning each other._

_"It's Edward!"_

_"Protect the jewel!"_

_"Where's Lady Tanya?"_

_"Run for your lives!"_

Being the half-demon that he was, Edward wanted to take the Sacred Jewel and become a full-blooded vampire.

_He didn't even bother with the humans. He jumped right over them all, crashing through the roof of the shrine that held the jewel. When he landed inside, he covered his nose with his Robe of the Fire Rat to block the incensed smell that was put in place to ward off demons._

When he came to the village to take the jewel, the priestess, Tanya, shot a sacred arrow, which held him fast to a tree.

_Edward simply walked across the floor and snatched the jewel off its pedestal. The door banged open and arrows and spears came flying in at him, while he ducked and dodged. He jumped through the roof again, and sped off down the stone path out towards the forest._

_"Edward!" a female voice yelled._

_Edward turned his head instinctively, pausing in his run, just in time to see Tanya fire a well-aimed arrow._

_The arrow pierced him right through the heart, pinning him to the tree behind him. The jewel flew out of his hands and landed on the ground in front of him._

_Tanya's shoulder and chest badly wounded, and she had made a trail of blood right up to the spot where she stood._

_"T-Tanya!" Edward stuttered, and his face didn't show any physical pain, only confusion. "How could—? I thought—"_

_Edward struggled to stay awake, but his eyes slowly fluttered closed, and he sagged against the arrow pinning him to the tree, a peaceful expression coming over his face as he slept._

But in that battle, Tanya would lose her life.

_Tanya swayed, her eyes going in and out of focus. She gasped at the pain in her shoulder, and collapsed in a puddle of blood._

I knew that Edward must be angry over Tanya's attack, but that was no reason not to help Irina out. _She_ was a friend at least, right?

I spent the next five minutes searching for him, but finally found him at the spot I should have checked in the first place. It was the same tree up on its lonely hill that he always went to when he was troubled and we were in this village. It was the same tree that I had shared my offerings from the villagers with him and he'd accused me of luring him into a false sense of security. It was the same tree from which I had first seen his brother Peter and his mother, Elizabeth.

Edward was sitting against the base of the tree, leaning against its trunk all brooding.

I smiled. It was a very similar position I'd found him in the last two times we'd talked under this tree.

"There ya are," I said cheerfully. "Let's go!"

He just raised an eyebrow, looking away over the fields. "Where to?" he asked sarcastically.

Sighing patiently, I sat down next to him. "Come on," I said gently, not wanting to piss him off again. "Don't you feel sorry for Tanya? Her grave has been violated. Forget that you were once enemies. Tanya died a long time ago, right?"

This only seemed to make him more brooding. He glanced at me thoughtfully and turned away again. Now he was starting to piss _me_ off.

I grabbed his hair and made him look at me.

"Hey!" he protested, whining like a baby in pain.

"Mind explaining why you haven't been able to look me straight in the eye since yesterday?" I snapped angrily.

He looked contrite for a moment, before looking at the ground. Even now, talking about it, he couldn't look at me.

"It's nothing..." he mumbled.

"I know!" I huffed. "It's because I look like Tanya! That's it, isn't it? That's why you don't like me!"

Edward's eyes snapped up heatedly at that, and he was nearly glaring at me as he grabbed my hand from his hair, holding it tightly in his.

"It's not—!" he started angrily, and then sighed, trying to calm himself down. For the first time since yesterday, he was looking me right in the eye, but it didn't feel right. There was a new tenderness on his face that I hadn't seen before, and I had a horrible, cold feeling that it wasn't meant for me to see. Seemingly without his notice, he was steadily inching closer to me, still holding my hand tightly, his face inches from mine. I thought my cheeks would burst into flames.

"It's not like that," he said softly. What was he doing, getting so close to me?

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop it!" I screamed, shoving him away from me. I must have caught him off guard, because I knocked him off balance and he tumbled part of the way down the hill before regaining control.

I grabbed the hand he'd been holding trying to steady my breathing... and my pounding heart. He'd just tried to _kiss_ me.

In a flash, he was standing right in front of me, shouting angrily, "Could we lose some of the violence, please?"

"Sure, as soon as you stop acting so weird!" I shot back, my voice shaking humiliatingly.

"You're the one who's being a lunatic!"

A horse's snort reminded us that we were in the middle of a public place, in yet another screaming match. We both turned to look at the path that led up to the tree, and saw Irina leading a horse up to us.

"Irina?" I said confusedly.

"I am also a priestess," Irina said firmly. "I shall take back my sister's ashes with my own hands. Edward, at least tell me in which direction Sasha was headed?"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, old woman?" Edward asked sarcastically.

"I'm going," Irina reiterated. "I shall deal with the consequences of my decisions when I arrive."

"You're in no condition to go, Irina!" I tried desperately.

Edward walked past me, picking up the horse's reins. He glanced at me over his shoulder as calmly as though nothing had happened at all.

"It's useless to stop her," he informed me. "She's as stubborn as an ox." He turned the horse around impatiently. "Come on, move it along, _Granny. _We'll get Tanya's ashes back and lay them to rest again."

As he walked away without another word, leading her horse, Irina smiled and said, "Edward, thank you."

"Something tells me Seth and I had better come along," I murmured, mostly to myself.

I ran to Irina's house and got my bike, Seth came running, and we were off. The sun was already starting to set and we'd barely made any headway. The trip would be boring, and I wouldn't be of any use to anyone, but I wanted to come in hopes of figuring something out. While Edward led the way, darting on the tops of the sharp cliffs above us and tracking the scent of the ashes, Irina on her horse and Seth and I on my bike followed in silence. It was totally quiet except for Seth's occasional yawn, or the horse's neighing.

Edward hadn't been looking at me when he got so close. He'd been looking straight through me, to Tanya.

That night, when Edward decided to stop and make camp for Irina, I decided to give the old woman my sleeping bag. It wouldn't kill me to sleep on rocks for one night. Edward did it all the time and made it look like nothing.

"Irina's fallen asleep," I murmured, mostly to myself. Seth was knocked out, too, snoring lightly.

Refusing to look at me all this time, Edward closed his eyes and leaned back against the cliffside, stating, "You'd better get some sleep yourself. We'll attack tomorrow."

"So soon?" I asked in shock. I'd been expecting the vampire Sasha to have traveled much farther with Tanya's remains. We'd only gone several miles from Irina's village.

"I can smell the remains," he informed me, his voice a little low. "They're not far."

He sighed slightly, and then his breathing evened out.

"Edward?"

No response. He'd fallen asleep. He'd been sleeping the first time I saw him, too. Actually, he was put under a spell, but to me, it looked like he was just peacefully sleeping. I thought he hated Tanya...

_"I know!" I huffed. "It's because I look like Tanya! That's it, isn't it? That's why you don't like me!"_

_Edward's eyes snapped up heatedly at that, and he was nearly glaring at me as he grabbed my hand from his hair, holding it tightly in his._

_"It's not—!" he started angrily, and then sighed, trying to calm himself down. For the first time since yesterday, he was looking me right in the eye, but it didn't feel right. There was a new tenderness on his face that I hadn't seen before, and I had a horrible, cold feeling that it wasn't meant for me to see. Seemingly without his notice, he was steadily inching closer to me, still holding my hand tightly, his face inches from mine. I thought my cheeks would burst into flames._

_"It's not like that," he said softly._

But when he'd held my hand and looked at me... it wasn't a look of hatred in his eyes. I put a hand over my chest, trying to stop my pounding my as though putting pressure on it would.

Could it be that... he'd been hiding his feelings all along?

_Was Edward in love with Tanya?_

**%#! %#! %#!**

The next morning, it seemed Irina and I were the only ones who really cared about going to get Tanya's ashes. Seth was still groggy from sleeping and Edward just didn't express any emotion at all—except ice-cold contempt like he used to. I'd thought he was changing. And now this?

"We must retrieve Tanya's ashes as soon as possible!" Irina said firmly. She rode her horse in the lead, and Edward was actually standing on the poor horse's lower back. Seth and I rode on my bike behind them. "I have a dreadful feeling about this. Trouble lies ahead."

Edward scoffed. "Oh, good, that's _just _what we need to hear," he said, bitingly sarcastic. "If you didn't want the ashes stolen why didn't you just scatter them into the river? You stayed sentimental and kept hanging on to them and see what happened?"

Irina sighed impatiently. "Edward, have ye no regard for man's gravesites and tombstones? A grave is not simply a place to bury a body or ashes. It is a place of refuge for the hearts of those who are left behind."

"Hearts of those left behind?" Edward repeated skeptically.

"My sister was born a priestess," Irina explained, sadness laced throughout her words. "She used her special powers for the good of the villagers. She warded specters and demons away from the village, and battled illness and famine countless times, encouraging the people around her. Even after her demise, the villagers have not weakened—they are resolved to live. However, man is weak. Danger and uncertainty can easily sway one's heart. Her grave was a place of reassurance. A place where the villagers found the strength to brace themselves against the storms of life."

As she spoke, I looked up at Edward's face. He looked just like he did before. He was thinking of Tanya. He was in love with her, and yet she shot him with an arrow and pinned him to a tree for fifty years.

Without realizing it, I had stopped pedaling my bike and stopped to stare openly at him. I was pretty sure my mouth was parted, and my eyes were pitying. The poor guy... She didn't return his feelings.

Edward suddenly stiffened and turned to glance at me over his shoulder. _She didn't love him in return_. I felt tears spring to my eyes, imagining what kind of pain that must be like, to know that know matter how much you love someone, it can't change their mind and make them love you.

As though he could hear my mind, Edward's eyes narrowed. He fully turned around on Irina's horse and shouted back to me (Seth and I were falling way behind because I was no longer moving), "What's with you, Bella?"

When I didn't answer, I should have known he wouldn't relent. Making me jump, he was suddenly sitting on my handlebars and basket directly in front of me, poised gracefully. Sometimes I wondered if I'd ever get used to his speed. I hadn't even seen him coming.

He stared at me suspiciously, and said in a flat voice, "That's pretty bad—when you can even give a half-demon the creeps. What's with the sympathetic looks you're giving me?"

"Oh, nothing!" I said hurriedly. "I was just thinking something stupid."

He raised an eyebrow, and the suspicious look only worsened. "Stupid like what?"

"Forget it," I insisted nervously. He'd probably just kill me or something when he found out I was pitying him for loving a girl that tried to kill him.

"What is it?" he snapped, growing way too impatient.

He was never going to let it go, that much was obvious. And we were falling far behind Irina, who hadn't bother to wait for us. I pushed him off my handlebars and he went along with it, landing on his feet next to me. At least until I started speeding off as fast as I could. Then he got mad.

I felt the bike sink a little into the ground when he was back on it, and I knew he was sitting on the back metal shelf that my mom had put onto it for my backpack.

"Bella!" he shouted angrily. "I want some answers _now_. What were you thinking?"

"Drop it!"

* * *

**Sasha's POV**

I was nearly bouncing up and down in excitement by the time I should open the kiln. Soon I would have my very own priestess for a servant.

I threw open the doors to the 'baking room' as I called it, and looked over to where the kiln waited, the flames around it already dying down.

Soon I would see the result of my special power. I'd never used it before then, except experimentally, like those pathetic excuses for soldiers outside. But I was positive that I'd been successful this time. In my human life, I had been exceptionally gifted with clay. I could mold anything from it, and even animate them to an extent. And now that I was a vampire, that was my gift. I could use the souls of the dead in my clay sculptures and make them live. But I had never tried to revive a person before now, and I was nervous as to the end result.

Kneading the earth from the grave with the ashes and some of my venom and baking it in my kiln should have been fairly enough to recreate her body as an immortal like myself. Her soul would come naturally, if the body was perfect or close enough to it. I was nearly positive it would be. She would be my finest creation yet.

I took a spear from the wall and stabbed the edge of the kiln where I knew her body was not liable to be hurt, and the entire thing began to crack and crumble until it fell away in pieces.

"Arise! Open your eyes, Tanya!" I commanded.

The beautiful young lady lied there in the remnants of the kiln, naked but otherwise perfect. She looked exactly as she had the day she died, sans the wound to her right shoulder. I knew nearly everything about her. She was the strongest priestess we'd seen since the first one ever. And now she would be the perfect slave.

Her straight brown hair fell to her waist, and she sat up as commanded. Her pale skin was flawless, and her eyes were red, indicating that my venom had successfully done its task. It was my first experience adding that little ingredient, too, and I was glad it had worked so well.

"Tanya, I have heard that as a priestess you foiled many an attempt by demons to possess the Sacred Jewel. I also hear that the jewel is now in pieces, and a demon who possesses even one fragment of the jewel doubles its powers! I want it... I want every shard of the Sacred Jewel. Now, you will go and destroy every demon who seeks it. Burn and destroy them! You will serve me, the one who has brought you back to an even better life. You will gather the pieces of the Sacred Jewel!"

I picked her up by the tops of her arms like a small child and helped her to stand. It was only natural that she should feel a little dizzy after being reborn to an even better, more enhanced life, and even more expected that she should be overwhelmed by her new, strengthened senses.

But when I set her on her feet and released her, she merely collapsed, her blank expression never faltering or changing. Impossible!

I grabbed her up by the hair and studied her blank red eyes. I understood. Her body had revived, but her soul had not returned. There was no way my magic would fail to bring back the soul. It could only mean that the soul had been reincarnated in another body. _Then all I had made was a hollow shape in the form of Tanya!_

I threw the worthless shell of the body down on the ground, and the girl didn't even blink. Such hard work and time wasted!

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The canyon ended suddenly, turning into a narrow dirt lane with dense forest on either side. It was dark, there was a canopy above us blocking out much of the sun. But the creepiest part were the clay mummy things. There were weird statues shaped very similarly to sarcophaguses leanings against trees and rocks, and just propped up everywhere. There had to be at least fifty within sight on one side of the road.

It seemed I wasn't the only one troubled by the statues.

"What are those things?" Seth asked openly, his voice shaking a little. "Earthen dolls? How creepy!"

Up ahead of us, there was large bang and a huge column of smoke went billowing up from the spot. None of us spoke for a moment, merely watching it curiously, until finally Edward said sarcastically, "Something tells me that's the place."

Yeah, but that meant _getting_ there. And how were we supposed to get there? This horrible old rickety bridge swinging in the wind, connecting two cliffs and dangling over a drop so far down I couldn't see the bottom through the fog.

"Do we really have to cross this?" I said, biting my lip. Edward was already way ahead of me, but he paused and turned around carelessly when I stumbled onto the bridge, clutching the thin, rusted chains for rails.

"Stay here if you're that scared," Edward suggested dispassionately. "You don't have to come. I'll go in and talk some sense into her."

I would have laughed if I hadn't been so terrified. Edward? _Talk_? Yeah, right.

I snorted, my fear making me totally derisively sarcastic. "As if! I'll just stand here a couple hundred feet off the ground, blowing in the wind!"

Edward shrugged and turned away again. "So come."

Seth, also afraid and eager to be off the bridge, ran ahead of me and weaved through Edward's legs, passing him as well. I could barely see him through the fog that was slowly thickening, but I could tell that he had stopped, suddenly fearing something else.

"H-Hey!" he stammered nervously, and I could just make out some more of those clay statues we saw in the forest on the bridge in front of us, blocking our path. "How'd those get here?"

No sooner than the words had left his mouth than the clay mummy dudes' shells cracked and shattered, falling to bits at our feet. The soldiers underneath looked really strange. Super pale, and their eyes were blank and uncaring, like dolls. They walked towards us slowly, awkwardly, without bending their knees.

Edward ran up behind Seth, looking actually interested in something for the first time since the mention of Tanya. "They must be Sasha's soldiers."

"Those are the dolls we saw in the woods," I said nervously. "It can't be!" I turned around, and yep, there were a good fifteen more behind us, walking just as stupidly, but still carrying swords and wearing armor.

"Edward, they're closing in from behind!" I shouted.

He crouched down, preparing to take out the ones in front of us, and nodded. "Hang on tight, ladies, this swinging bridge is about to live up to its name."

He ran forward, and sliced through the soldiers as easily as though they were made of glass. They broke up just as their containers had, and fell to the ground in pieces at the lightest slap. Irina, realizing they were so easy to defeat, turned around behind me and started whacking some with her bow.

As Edward kept taking out more and more up front, he said, breathing a bit heavier from exertion, "I wish all my enemies were this weak! Too bad there's so many of them."

* * *

**Sasha's POV**

It turned out that blowing up one of my kilns did allow me to vent my emotions a little, but I was still more than a little frustrated. As I stared at the worthless human body of Tanya, contemplating destroying it just for fun, the sounds of clay shattering and grunts of exertion echoed up to me on my little mountain peak.

What could all that ruckus be outside? I shook my head. It didn't matter. Whoever it was, I would kill them. I could use the excuse to work off some frustration.

As I went to leave, a woman's voice floated up to us, cautioning, "Edward! Watch out!"

At the sound of the voice, the body of Tanya sat up and looked outside while I stared in delighted shock. She moved on her own! That could only mean...

I ran outside and leaned as far over the edge of my peak as I dared, looking down at the bridge several hundred feet below me. There was a young half-breed boy, a baby demon of some kind, an old woman dressed as a priestess, and a young woman sitting on the bridge, clutching the chains and looking quite ill at the bridge's motions.

That girl was nearly the exact image of Tanya. She had to be the reincarnation. She was practically Tanya's double, minus a few years of age. What good fortune for her to come right to me! Her face... there was no mistake about it.

I jumped off the ledge, making sure to land right in front of the half-breed. He was the only one with quick enough eyesight to catch my movements, but he wasn't fast enough to do anything about it. I sliced the bridge into two, right at his feet. Since he was so close to the cut, he and all the other worthless clay soldiers I'd created tumbled to the ground, the half-breed's obnoxious scream echoing in the canyon. The other three, the old hag, the fox demon and the girl, went sliding down the bridge as well, also screaming. But I wouldn't let the girl die that easily. She was too valuable at this time.

I jumped again and grabbed her up before she really had time to fall, and pushed off the bridge, landing back on my peak with her in less than a few seconds. Her two companions screamed what I supposed was her name, and continued their fatal descent.

The girl struggled against my grasp, commanding, "Let me go!"

"Prefer to fall to your death, young maiden?" I asked sarcastically, and she seemed to realize from my tone that I was not someone to mess with. "Now that I've found the reincarnated soul, I won't easily give it up. I need you in order to fully resurrect Tanya!"

She stared at me in uncomprehending horror, and repeated faintly, "Resurrect Tanya?"

She was a pretty one, the image of Tanya, but she wasn't too bright, was she?

* * *

**Edward's POV**

After the initial shock of falling so far wore off, I somehow managed to propel myself over to the cliffside, digging my feet into the side as I fell to slow down my momentum. It burned like hell, but it was worth it in the end when I hit a small tree growing horizontally out of the mountainside and jumped off it, landing easily on the ground in a huge pile of crushed and broken clay pieces from the soldiers.

But where were Bella and the others? I didn't even have time to consider that thought before I was crushed by a giant oak leaf weighed down by its two riders. Damn that Seth and his tricks. As though I wasn't hurting enough with my feet, now my back hurt too.

"I wonder if Edward is all right?" Seth mused while I tried to crawl out from underneath whoever had landed directly on top of me.

"An individual such as he would not so easily die," came Irina's reply.

I managed to get the upper portion of my body out from under the leaf and asked, "Mind getting _off_ me?"

"Ah, well, speak of the devil," said Irina, who promptly jumped to her feet while Seth transformed the leaf back to its rightful size.

The clay soldiers who hadn't been completely obliterated from the fall stood up, brandishing their swords mechanically in challenge. I smirked. They were weak. But there was still a lot of them, and I didn't want to waste any more of my time with the losers. So I flicked the Fang out of its sheath and had them all in pieces in less than ten seconds.

While I worked, Seth filled me in on what had happened, and I could have kicked myself for not recognizing the absence.

"WHAT?" I shouted. "Bella's been kidnapped?"

"Yeah," Seth said. "Sasha pulled her off the bridge as we were falling and stole her away."

I sighed. I was confident I could get Bella back safely, so I wasn't that worried. "At least she didn't fall to her death."

As I spoke, strange white balls of light that looked as intangible as smoke started to rise out of the clay soldiers. Only Irina seemed unsurprised by the new development.

"Irina, what's going on?" I demanded.

She gave me a worried glance. "Human souls were being used to move these clay soldiers. I fear it gets worse. Bones have been baked into them."

So? I wanted to ask. What did that mean? Nothing. All I had to do was go up to the vampire's peak, set her on fire or something, get Bella and the ashes back and go on my way. Case closed.

"It is worse than I thought," Irina said, sounding older and more frightened than I'd ever heard her before, even when she was a child. "Sasha's tricks are fiendish. Using the bones and souls of the dead... And now she has my sister Tanya's remains, and Bella."

I still didn't see the big deal, but even I wasn't stupid enough to not notice that when Irina started to walk away, she shuddered and held her wounded arm. I sighed.

"You're wounded, old woman," I reminded her, a little callously. "Don't strain yourself. I'll recover Tanya's remains like I said."

"I fear we haven't got much time," Irina said, shooting a disbelieving look at me, like she was in shock I hadn't put two and two together yet. "We may shortly find ourselves face-to-face wth my sister."

"What?" I snapped, angry at myself for feeling a small surge of hope at that statement. "But Tanya's dead."

"Sasha now has all she needs to revive her, and if she succeeds, we shall face a formidable foe. We must find some way to stop her."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Before I had time to register the fact, my ankles and wrists were tied again, and pinned down, my hands above my head. Sasha put me in some sort of tub of nasty green water, pouring other ingredients into it occasionally.

"Stop! What do you think you're doing?"

"You are an insolent one," Sasha said, annoyed. She stopped the flow of green liquid into the tub when the water level reached the tip of my ear. "That should do it."

"What's in this water? It smells disgusting!"

I heard another set of footsteps that I was positive didn't belong to the vampire—they were uncertain and unfrequent, like the walker was trying to learn. I had to crane my neck slightly to see over the edge of the tub, and for a moment had the bizarre thought that I was looking into a magic mirror or something.

There stood a girl who could have passed for my twin. We had the same straight, dark brown hair that shone with red tints in the bright sunlight. She looked slightly taller than I was, and a few years older, but we shared the same facial features—the shape of the eyes and mouth, the narrow jaw and high cheekbones. We were both as pale as magnolias, and even her hands looked like mine—the same long, delicate fingers, the nails pink and white like a French manicure, only it was totally natural.

She walked forward out of the room that came out of the mountainside, headed perfectly straight. When she was outside, she sort of pivoted her head around mechanically to look at me, and her expression was as blank as always, but her red eyes—the only real difference between the two of us—were... fascinated? Her mouth was slightly open. She moved and looked like a baby robot, learning to be impartial and efficiently emotionless.

It was an odd thought to have about one's own body and face.

Sasha caught me staring over her shoulder and turned, smiling delightedly. "So you've donned your clothes," she stated. Only then did I notice the girl wore the garb of a priestess, or so I'd been told was the outfit worn by priestesses. It was an outfit I'd worn a few times myself when I stayed with Irina. "The attire of a priestess is most becoming on you. I have done well to remake your body and make you one of my kind. All I need do now is place a human soul within you."

"Soul...?" I repeated faintly. She couldn't mean me?

Sasha tapped the side of the tub, indicating the nasty green stuff I was currently stewing in with triumph. "My potion will cause your soul to leave your very body," she informed me casually. "Tanya shall have her soul back, and you shall become one of the living dead."

For some reason, the only part of that entire horrifying sentence that registered with me was the first word.

"Tanya?" That girl couldn't be Tanya... Tanya was dead!

The green liquid around me glowed brightly, as though it had been electrified, but it hardened around my body until I could not move, like it had turned to concrete.

Sasha stared at me curiously as I squirmed and struggled, trying to keep myself from freezing altogether.

"You, girl," she mused, "you differ somehow. The herbs in that potion should have caused you to lose consciousness by now."

As though answering her questioning statement, the large jewel chunk in the bottle around my neck started to glow brightly, as though screaming, _Here I am! Bella can't move, why don't you take me?_

Sasha leaped to her feet in excitement. "You possess a fragment of the Sacred Jewel! How very fortuitous for me!"

Suddenly, the glow wasn't coming from the jewel anymore, but from me. From my chest. It expanded out around me like a balloon or globe, and it crackled with an intensity that nearly burned me. I was angry... No, that wasn't strong enough. I was livid. But I was hurt, too, to the point where I considered ending it all now... I wanted to kill, but not pointlessly. There was only one that I hated.

But I wasn't mad at anyone! I didn't want to kill anyone, least of all him! He hadn't done anything!

"This soul is angry," Sasha mused, sounding fascinated. I could barely hear her as I fought to control my emotions. Was this what a pregnant woman felt like, knowing that your emotions were totally unreasonable, and yet experiencing them anyway? These moodswings were giving me such a whiplash I thought I was going to be sick. "Tanya's spirit is mad with anger. It is a powerful grudge. This soul is seeking revenge. Some great betrayal must have happened to her in her human life."

My head was pounding behind my eyes. It felt like they didn't belong to me anymore. One moment, I was clenching them tightly against the bright light that shone above me. The next, I was turning my head to see who was approaching us from the north. But it wasn't _my_ head I was turning. Was I two people? Was Tanya really inside me? Were we the same person?

In a flash, my vision switched positions again, and I saw through Tanya as Edward and my other two friends came to a halt just in front of us, staring in silent horror as this scene played out. In another instant, leaving me with a severe headache and unbearable case of nausea, I was back in my own body, and I was even more angry than before. I wanted to kill him. I _had_ to kill him. And yet I was frightened, not angry at all. I couldn't bear much more of this.

I dimly heard Irina cry out in shock, "Sister!"

Sasha, now pushed back and away from me by the globe of angry light above me, whirled around on them. "Are you still alive?" She turned deliberately, placing her body in front of Tanya, who sat leaning against the mountainside, still blank.

I barely heard Edward murmur, "It _is_ her..."

I wanted to scream at him to save me and then play catch-up with his girlfriend. I wanted to kill him slowly, putting him through as much pain as he had me. But he hadn't put me through any pain! He was a pain in the ass sometimes, yeah, but he was my friend!

Unbidden, unexpected, and kind of creepy, some sort of ethereal voice echoed in my mind, and I was sure I was the only one who could hear it. It sounded like it belonged to a young woman, and it was dignified and proud even though it was practically begging as it prayed, _Don't... Do NOT call out my name..._

Still, despite the girl's unheard warning, Edward whispered, "Tanya."

Everything went black, and I was swallowed up by nothingness.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

No sooner had the word escaped me, than Bella collapsed in the tub as though she had died. I didn't have time to worry much before her body rose up, straining against her constraints. The huge orb of light around her that was so violent exploded, turning into something similar to a rushing river, and it was coming right out of her, rising up into the sky endlessly.

She looked unconscious, and something was escaping her. What was all that light?

"The soul is emerging!" Sasha said triumphantly.

What? NO!

_"Bella!" _I dimly realized the cry had come from me.

Bella didn't open her eyes or respond at all.

"The second you called her name, her heart missed a beat, and Tanya's soul sprang forth."

The torrent of white-hot energy coming out of Bella separated into several smaller strands, each of them circling about and whizzing here and there before flying at Tanya, striking her from every side with such force that she was actually lifted off the ground. The lights slowly faded, all absorbed by Tanya, who was gently lowered to her feet. Her face became darkly curious, and she put up her hands to feel her face as though it belonged to someone else.

Bella's soul couldn't have entered Tanya's body. Bella was stronger than that, and Tanya wouldn't do such a thing.

Seth darted past me, throwing himself over the edge of the tub, practically sobbing into Bella's lifeless arms, "Bella! Wake up, Bella! Please!"

The vampire beside me laughed demonically. "You waste your breath. That girl is just an empty shell of a human now. I'll use her for my dinner later."

"You fiend, Sasha!" Irina exploded. "You dared to use my sister Tanya's bones!"

"Exactly!" Sasha beamed with pride. "I have used my powers to turn Tanya into one of my own kind—she is an immortal now, a vampire. As such, you could say I am her birth mother. Tanya will do anything I ask of her."

She held her arms wide as though for a hug, and Tanya slowly lowered her hands from her face, her eyes firmly shut as she stumbled her way over to the vampire.

"Now," Sasha said, her tone switching to one of command, "use your powers to rid us of these bothersome—"

She was cut off as Tanya collapsed on her knees before Sasha, her hands on her shoulders.

There was a moment of stillness in which nothing happened before Tanya practically growled, "You dragged me out... I never intended to wake again."

Tanya stayed with her hands braced against Sasha's shoulders as though bowing to her. Then, with shocking suddenness, flames burst from Tanya's palms, igniting Sasha, who screamed horrendously. The only way to kill a vampire.

"Edward..." Tanya murmured, bringing my attention back to her. It was a little more than disconcerting, seeing the cold efficiency Tanya had always exuded when killing demons. "Why are you still alive? I know that I bound you to a tree..."

I had to fight to keep my face expressionless. "Yeah, you sure did," I said coldly. _Lying, traitorous bitch. I trusted you! _"It took me about fifty years to get out, too, but as you can see, I'm fine."

Slowly, Tanya lifted her head, growling low under her breath. Only then did I notice her eyes weren't the usual warm brown I was used to, but flat, blood red. I still knew her face well enough to know that she would be crying now if she had the tear ducts, but the knowledge made no sense to me. Why should she cry? She betrayed me. It was only natural that I show I was ready to fight her.

"You vile beast," she muttered, rising slowly. "I hate you!"

She started to walk towards me, threateningly, and I tensed for the coming attack. But then she stopped, crying out and clutching her shoulder, which was suddenly covered in blood. But that made no sense. She wasn't wounded—her shirt wasn't even torn. She stared at the blood as though it were foreign, and yet her face grew pained as she took her hand away from her shoulder and stared at the red liquid covering her hand. It seemed to remind her of something.

She glared at me over her hand, and screamed, "Why did you betray me, Edward?"

I stared at her, my mind going totally blank in shock. _Me_? _She_ was the traitor!

"What's going on?" I said, hating how confused and helpless I was suddenly feeling. Like a dog in its first cage. "Where is all that blood coming from?"

"Is that not the fatal wound ye inflicted upon Tanya?" Irina asked surprisedly from my side.

"_I_ inflicted?" I returned. Now I wasn't just shocked—I was pissed. How could they sit there making up crap about me? "What are you saying? That _I_ was the one who killed Tanya?"

The thought was preposterous. I couldn't bring myself to even attack her, barely defend myself against her. How could I have killed her?

"Yes!" Irina said, while Tanya narrowed her eyes at me, hatred flowing off her in waves. "It was _your_ wound that sealed her fate, and ensured her demise."

"There's been a mistake!" I said desperately. "I didn't kill her! I don't even remember _wounding_ her."

"Truly?" Irina asked hesitantly, shocked and nervous. "This wound did not come from your hand? If-If not you, then who slew her?"

"You are even more disgusting than I thought," Tanya sneered, dropping her hand and hardening her posture. "Inventing such feeble excuses. It is unbecoming. Stop it!" She shuddered, as though sickened, and then asked bitterly, "Edward, do you not remember when you told me that you wished to become human?"

"Human?" Irina repeated, scandalized. "Impossible. He wishes to become a full vampire."

"You said you would become human," Tanya repeated, ignoring Irina completely. "I foolishly believed you, and took the Sacred Jewel to you that day. While I waited, you struck me from behind. This wound _was_ inflicted by your hand! I remember every word and gesture. I fell to the ground, struggling to reach the jewel, and you crushed my hand beneath your foot. 'Fool!' you told me. 'I have no desire whatsoever to become human. But I shall take the Sacred Jewel nonetheless. Thanks. This jewel is about to absorb a great deal of pain and suffering when I use it to slaughter the villagers.'"

What? That didn't even sound like me! Was she lying, or had someone tricked her into believing that?

"But, Tanya, I cannot believe that Edward would do such a thing," Irina put in hurriedly.

I shook my head. I couldn't believe she would lie like this. "Are you saying that _I _was the one who betrayed you?"

"You know it's true," she said coldly. "That is why I summoned the last vestiges of my strength and bound you to the tree with my arrow."

She slowly approached me again, and I growled under my breath, my instincts telling me it was time to fight or run. I gripped the Fang tighter, but I knew I would never be able to draw it against her. I was furious at myself for feeling that way. Only idiots let themselves get so sentimental.

Her expression turned infinitely sad, sadder than I'd ever seen her look, and that was saying something. "Edward..." she murmured, gripping my arms weakly. "You and I were fated never to meet again..."

Her expression went dark with fury, and she blasted me with the same trick she'd used on Sasha. I felt the prize fool, falling for the same thing, but I was able to extinguish the fire before it did anything other than hurt me like hell, and in more ways than one. I shook my head, lying on my back, winded beyond belief.

"Please stop this, Tanya!" Irina begged, and I barely saw her approach Tanya, gripping her shirt tightly.

"Who are you?" Tanya demanded coldly.

"I am your sister Irina. I have lived fifty years since your death."

"Then explain why you would protect Edward, Irina."

She didn't wait for an answer before seizing Irina's arrow and a bow, roughly shoving Irina out of the way with a quick, "Give me this!" She had absolutely no regard for the fact that the woman was old and couldn't withstand being shoved around like that. This wasn't the Tanya I knew.

But I didn't have time to contemplate either Tanya, because the one in front of me had nocked an arrow and had fired it rapidly. I jumped out of the way as fast as I could, and the arrow hit the ground, shattering the rocky landscape. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Seth throw himself over Bella's limp body, which he had drug from out of the tub and cut free of ropes in the time of this twisted conversation. A rock narrowly missed the both of them, and I was too confused to do anything about it. I was livid that Tanya had no regard for the others, even her own sister and especially Bella, and yet I couldn't be angry at her.

Tanya rounded on her sister furiously, commanding, "Irina!"

Irina backed away, trying to keep her quiver of arrows away from Tanya. "You mustn't, Sister. Edward is not the enemy!"

"What do you mean? Have you been taken in by this deceitful half-breed?"

"You are mistaken!"

"Give me an arrow."

"I'll do no such thing!"

_"Irina!"_ Tanya roared, losing her temper. "Show loyalty to your family, not to some devious, lying half-breed! Now, hear the demand of your elder sister and _give me those arrows!_"

She grabbed the entire quiver, roughly yanking them off Irina's wounded shoulder and shoving her back. She nocked an arrow and aimed at me as I shakily stood up.

Her voice shook murderously as she said, "You told me that you wished to become human... You told me you wished to be with me."

_Yeah, and I'm starting to be thankful for what happened! _Who knew what would have happened if I'd turned myself into a human for her?

"What will happen to Bella?" Seth shouted, crying. Bella's body was sprawled out awkwardly on the ground behind him, and Irina turned to them both, though not taking her eyes off her sister. God, what an understatement she'd said when she mentioned that Tanya would be a 'formidable foe.'

"So long as Tanya holds on to her hatred, her soul will not find any peace," Irina said. "And so long as her soul does not return to her, Bella will continue to slumber."

"Wait, Tanya!" I said hurriedly. "I meant every word!"

"Silence!" Tanya screamed, shaking her head as though to disspell my voice. "I was a fool for wishing, even for an instant, to be with you! I died hating you. My spirit cannot shed that all-consuming hatred. So long as you live, I cannot be saved."

"Edward," Irina said, and I briefly glanced over to see the old woman now cradling Bella's body, looking very weary. But I couldn't keep my eyes off Tanya for long, if only from a desire to stay alive. "You must destroy my sister's body. Her rebirth is a sham. You must release her soul from within."

"It's futile!" Tanya snapped, adjusting the position of the bow as she pulled the arrow back further, giving it more speed and power when fired. I tensed, waiting for that moment. "I shall not return to that body until I have carried out my revenge on this traitorous beast! Edward, _you _are the one who shall die!"

She fired the arrow and I barely had time to draw the Fang and hold it up, struggling to push back her arrow. It was like it was possessed. Even pushed up against my sword, the arrow kept fighting back, struggling to reach me. Within moments, the Fang had transformed back into a rusty piece of crap.

"Tanya's arrow has overcome the Fang!" Irina gasped. "Run, Edward!"

There was no more time left. The arrow pushed itself past my sword and, as though in slow motion, started digging its way into my chest. I couldn't hold back the screams of agony that came out of me at the burning contact.

As though I had called to her, Bella's eyes snapped open, and everything froze. The arrow disappeared, and I fell back on the ground in confusion. Tanya gasped, clutching her chest to stop them, but the divided lights that were her and Bella's soul began fleeing her body, flying over to Bella again.

"NO!" Tanya screamed, the outflow of lights increasing drastically.

"What's happening?" Seth squeaked.

"It is Bella," Irina said, grimly pleased. "She is attempting to call back her soul."

"No!" Tanya gasped again, pleading. "Not yet! My revenge!"

As had happened before, the strength of the orbs flowing into her made Bella's body actually lift off from the ground a little bit, but the lights finally dimmed, and she was lowered back to the ground. But... why was she still unconscious?

I struggled to sit up, noticing that Tanya had disappeared. I looked around wildly, finally catching her rounding a bend around the mountainside—fleeing desperately. I never thought I would see the day when Tanya ran away from anything, but here she was, fleeing before Bella.

"Tanya!" I called after her. If she heard me, she paid me no mind. "So, she still has some spirit left in her..."

"That which keeps Tanya moving is nothing more than her deep hatred," said Sasha, catching me off guard. I'd thought she had died, but, though badly burned, she was still only near death. "It seems most of the soul has returned to the girl from whence it came. Tanya's pent-up grudges have been absorbed well, right into her very bones. The once-pure maiden is now a demon filled with hatred. Isn't it lovely?"

Her voice trailed off as her body disintegrated into smoke. I shook my head. That was impossible. Tanya would never become something evil.

I jumped up and took off after her as fast as I could, barely hearing Irina call my name after me. I caught up to her quickly. She was walking unsteadily, breathing harsh, looking as near death as one of the undead could. She was talking to herself.

"I must distance myself from that girl, or she will take back the remainder of my soul. I must move away..."

I watched as she stepped onto some uneven ground, and went sliding down it towards the cliffsedge, crying out in shock. I lunged foward, digging my right hand into the dirt to keep myself from falling and catching her hand in my other. Dangling off the cliff, she looked up at me curiously at first and then, recognizing me, gasped and went furious again.

"Tanya, you can't go on like this," I said hurriedly, while she was listening. "You have to return to Bella."

She stared at me in shock. "You wish me to die?" I gasped. Never. "If I return to that girl, I will no longer be myself. She and I are not the same person. Should I return to that body, I would cease to exist. Is that what you want?" Her eyes narrowed with hatred.

"I'll never die," she growled fiercely, gripping my wrist with both of her hands. She sent another wave of fire-like energy into me, and I could only try not to scream. I wasn't going to let go. She'd fall off the cliff and most likely die.

"Didn't I tell you before?" she screamed. "My spirit cannot rest in peace until I see you dead. When I die, you're coming with me!"

"Don't do this!" I tried, while she yanked on my hand. I lost my grip on the side of the cliff and we fell about ten feet before I caught the edge of a stable rock. But in my concentration for that, I lost my grip on Tanya, and her hand slipped out of mine. "TANYA!" She gasped, screaming as she fell down into the ravine.

I stared down into the fog, no longer able to see her, my hand still stretched out as though to stop her.

Why? Why did it have to come to this?

My hand curled into a tight fist, and I growled harshly under my breath, uttering a string of profanities to stop the humiliating tears I felt coming. Men never cried, and I sure as hell wouldn't.

But _why did this happen_?

Tanya had used her spiritual powers to protect the Sacred Jewel from demons. I'd needed the jewel, too, in order to become a full-blooded vampire.

_FLASH! I ran, building speed and power, charging at her. FLASH! Within seconds, my back was to a tree, each arm pinned by two arrows—I couldn't move, except to kick helplessly. FLASH! Instead of delivering the final blow, Tanya slid her arrow back into her quiver and lowered her bow, turning to walk away. FLASH! "Will you stop it? Why do you never finish me off?" FLASH! She rounded on me angrily, and said coldly, "Stop coming after the jewel. I have no wish to waste more arrows."_

I'd merely wanted the jewel for myself. I'd had no intention of killing Tanya. ...It had soon become clear that Tanya did not intend to kill me, either.

_FLASH! Kneeling at the base of the waterfall near her village, Tanya wore strange white clothes and continuously poured a bucket of water on herself. FLASH! From the top of the waterfall, I stared down at her curiously. FLASH! I couldn't tell if she knew I was there or not, but it soon became an everyday occurrence._

_FLASH! Tanya sat in a field, armed with a bow and arrows as ever, brooding, while I watched from nearby shrubs. FLASH! "Edward, I know you're there. Please, come join me." FLASH! Reluctantly, I left my cover and sat next to her, shiting every so often—she, of course, was as calm as ever. FLASH! "This is the first time we have spoken up close like this," she said. FLASH! "What's your point?" I snapped uncomfortably. FLASH! She ducked her head slightly, before staring at me curiously. FLASH! "Edward, how do I look to you? Do I seem human?" FLASH! "Now what are you talking about?" FLASH! She looked out over the village speculatively. FLASH! "I must never reveal my weakness to anyone," she said softly. "I must never have doubts. Otherwise, some demon would get the better of me." FLASH! She laughed once, bitterly, as she ducked her head again. FLASH! "I am human, yet I cannot be human. We are quite alike, you and I. Both outsiders. That is why I was unable to kill you." FLASH! I stood up, exasperated, and grumbled, "Is that supposed to be some sort of excuse? Doesn't really seem like you." FLASH! I glanced back down at her, and was shocked to see her face was open, tender, lonely and infinitely sad. FLASH! "You're right... I guess it's not like me," she chuckled, but it still wasn't happy._

When I'd seen Tanya's sad and lonely expression, I felt guilty. For the very first time in my life, I felt like I'd done something wrong. After that, I couldn't get her out of my mind.

_FLASH! I stood up on a tree branch, looking down on the field below me. FLASH! In that field, Tanya was being tugged around by several of the village children, all of them competing for her attention._

_FLASH! That winter, when she'd had to leave the village to slay a demon. The first time I'd helped her to do something like that._

She was always by my side... and I by hers.

_FLASH! The sun was setting, and I cringed away from her in shock. FLASH! "Me, become a human?" FLASH! "It's possible. It's true that you are half-demon, but you are also half-human. If the Sacred Jewel fell into the hands of a true demon, its powers would undoubtedly increase. However, if it were used to turn you into a human, it would be purified. The Jewel of Four Souls would probably cease to exist. FLASH! I glared at the ground uncomfortably, considering everything in silence. FLASH! "And then what? What would happen to you?" FLASH! I looked up, just in time to see her look away, blushing slightly. FLASH! "My duty is to protect the jewel. Without it, I would be free to live the life of an ordinary woman."_

_FLASH! That same day, rowing the skiff back to the village. FLASH! I stepped out of the boat, holding the pole, waiting for her to step out too. FLASH! She picked up her bow, the boat rocking unsteadily as she stepped out of it and onto the dock. FLASH! She tripped on a crack in the ground, falling across my chest. FLASH! She pulled away, looking up at me uncertainly, blushing. FLASH! In that moment, I realized I'd already made my decision, long before she'd even offered. FLASH! I dropped the pole without a glance or thought, and pulled her tight against me._

I'd had no second thoughts. I'd truly believed I could live with Tanya as a human. I'd _longed_ for such a life. But... that day...

_FLASH! Just as I was rounding the bend towards our rendezvous, three arrows just missed me, landing in the tree to my side. FLASH! I whirled around. I had been so deep in my thoughts, I hadn't even heard any approach. FLASH! Behind me, about fifteen feet away, was Tanya, the very girl I was about to give up my demonic powers for. FLASH! She had her next arrow pulled back and ready to fire at me. FLASH! "Die, Edward!"_

It was _I_ who was betrayed. As soon as I'd let down my guard, she'd tried to kill me! I'd managed to dodge the arrows, then attacked the village to steal the jewel. Then, she'd nailed me to that damn tree.

_"Why did you betray me, Edward?"_

Clutching my sore arm, I stumbled blindly away from the cliff. Damn it all. Why did we come to this? I flinched, the pain in my chest far outgrowing the pain in my arm. I collapsed face-first to the ground, not even caring anymore. How had it gone so wrong? It wasn't supposed to be like this!

I pushed myself over onto my back, staring up into the clouds. The day had no right to look so beautiful, not when I was totally and completely miserable. I'd never known misery was physically painful until that moment.

_"DAMN IT!"_

**#$%! #%! #$%!**

Fifty years ago, some creep disguised as Tanya shot arrows at me... and the same creep disguised as me attacked Tanya...

Somebody made us hate each other. But _who_, dammit? And why?

With my head filled with such thoughts and my body weak from recent assaults, it took me quite a while to get back to the others. They were still in their same places, Irina and Seth crowding around the prone form of Bella, who was still sprawled on the ground.

"Is she...?" I started to ask, but Irina cut me off.

"She has yet to awake," she answered, her eyes looking around. "Where is my sister?"

I flinched. "I-I'm sorry. I couldn't save her..."

"I see," Irina murmured starting at Bella's face. "With an inhuman body and a soul covered in malice... had she gone on living..." She shook her head, and smiled wanly at me. "It's better this way, I suppose. Tanya herself said she hadn't wanted to be resurrected."

Bella suddenly turned her head a little, and let out a low groan.

"Bella?" Seth responded instantly, hope and worry filling every crevice of his tone. The little runt really did care for her, huh?

Bella only groaned again.

"It seems she is conflicted with a terrible nightmare," Irina surmised.

Seth turned to face us, tears in his large eyes. "When Bella wakes up... will she still be the same Bella?"

"What?" I snapped, completely caught off guard. I glanced to Irina, hoping for confirmation that such a thing couldn't happen to her.

"Tanya's soul was so forcefully awakened," Irina answered, speaking only conjectures, "and although it's back in Bella's body again... If my sister's consciousness remains, it could bode ill for Bella."

_Bella... could be lost? She could be Tanya right now? But -_

Suddenly jerking me out of my worried thoughts, Bella sat bolt upright with a high-pitched, but short-lived shriek.

"Bella!" Seth and I chimed in unison, the same concern mirrored in our tones.

She didn't respond, but slouched over, panting as though whatever she had seen in her mind was truly terrifying. Finally, she glanced up and, seeing the three of us around her, sighed, "Oh, thank goodness. It was just a dream."

What? She thought everything that had just happened was a dream? Was that her nightmare?

"That freaking math test," she mumbled irritatedly, but sounding relieved at the same time. "I couldn't answer a single question on it! It was terrifying!"

"Was that all?" I asked, leaning slightly forward.

Her eyes met mine in confusion, but she answered, "Well, then there was the English one..."

I could have laughed with relief. Speaking her gibberish again... it was definitely the same old Bella.

She looked away, glancing around the grounds. "Where's Sasha? And Tanya?"

No one immediately came forward to answer, so I sighed and said, "It's over now, Bella."

_Rest in peace, Tanya..._

_

* * *

_

**Tanya's POV**

I didn't know what I was, but this new body of mine was incredibly durable. I had fallen from an enormous cliff, but my body had reacted instinctively and redirected my momentum until I landed safely on the ground, completely unscathed.

I was still alive.

_I'll be seeing you again shortly, Edward._

* * *

**Irina's POV**

It was a longer journey home that it had been to reach Sasha's lair, especially since Bella was still dizzy from her misadventure and wouldn't ride her strange iron cart. Not to mention the annoying Seth and Edward, pestering her with too many questions.

And it didn't improve Bella's mood at all to know that Edward refused to look her in the face again.

"You really don't remember anything?" Edward was asking now.

"No, not a thing," she answered patiently, even a little sadly. She must have known that this sudden regain and loss of Tanya was having an intense affect on him. "I'm sorry."

Edward paused, glancing at the ground, almost disappointedly. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"Edward doesn't seem happy at all, does he?" Seth whispered into my ear from his perch on my shoulder.

"That's not surprising," I returned. "Let's leave him alone for a bit."

"Hey," Bella said, catching all of our attentions, even though she was only talking to Edward. It was clear to me that she was trying to cheer him up - or at least get him to look at her. "You can stop walking on eggshells around me. Don't treat me any different than you did before. I'm still _me_, after all."

Edward hesitated before replying again, as though that were just another disappointment to him. Finally, struggling to regain his old bravado, he scoffed and said, "Well, of course. You don't resemble Tanya at all."

"Oh, really?" she muttered. "That's odd, considering I've caught you looking at me with desire in your eyes on occasion, despite what you say."

So completely caught off guard that he tripped up on his own feet, Edward got up in her face, spluttering, "W-WHAT? When have I ever -?"

But Bella wasn't even listening. She was giving off this radiant, almost glowingly happy smile, just for him, and it made him freeze in his tracks.

"I finally got you to look me in the face," she enthused triumphantly, as happy as though she had just been granted eternal life.

Blushing and spluttering furiously, Edward turned around and marched ahead of us, Bella trailing behind him contentedly. "You're more 'Edward-like' when you're angry."

Realizing he wasn't going to outwalk her, Edward let his pace subside until he was the one trailing behind us. Seth jumped onto Bella's shoulder and started chattering to her, but I was left to freely hear Edward muttering to him. He didn't even seem to realize he was doing it.

"...the fuck _is _this? I actually felt... _relieved_... no, _pleased_, to see her smile..."

I smiled to myself, even though I felt very ill at ease. I glanced at Bella's serene face, noting how completely and utterly _odd _she was. Not just by the clothes she wore or the things she said, but everything about her.

She somehow knew exactly how to work Edward so that he came out of his own depressions.

She had somehow made herself _important_ to him, when before, it was only his life that had any significance to him.

She was a stereotypical human to this world: beautiful and confident, yet she did not judge against _any _creature simply by what they were.

She seemed so weak and fragile, yet even my sister's immensely powerful soul could not win against her.

Whatever this girl was, she was most certainly _not _just a reincarnation.

* * *

**QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK:**

**Did Edward _really _love Tanya and vice versa? **Yes. Edward fell for Tanya first, and Tanya quickly grew feelings for him as well, but she secretly couldn't bear him being a half-breed. They planned to use the Sacred Jewel to turn him into a human so they could marry and be normal. Obviously that didn't happen. You be the judge if they truly loved one another. More details will come later.

**Does Edward love Bella and vice versa?** No. Bella is still a bit too naive and young, and she doesn't understand Edward very much. Right now, she just thinks he's some rude, crude jerk that has a good side somewhere. That's been her project as of yet: to bring out his good side. After this chapter, it's possible she has a bit of a crush on him, but it's small... but is it growing? Hmm... As for Edward, he's still hung on up Tanya. He's waay too protective of Bella because she reminds him so much of Tanya, and because he likes her, but yet he acts like a total asshole to her because he thinks every new bond with Bella is a betrayal to Tanya. They're not in love, as of now they are close friends—with possible little crushes.

**Why is Tanya still such a bitch after Edward tried to explained to her?** She's a vampire. Her soul, everything she liked and disliked, loved and hated, was frozen in place. And it was frozen both despising and loving Edward. She can't deal with it, so she lashes out. In the beginning, she only lets her hatred move her, because the betrayal was fresh in her mind. Later, though, she'll learn that it wasn't Edward's fault, though she still battles her frozen feelings.

* * *

**So this was a very depressing chapter, huh? Well, it's gotta get worse before it gets better. Just a warning. BUT next time will be funny because guess what...?**

**EMMETT!**

**_Next time:_**

**Bella's POV: **It seems that Tanya has died hating Edward. It's a bit depressing, but our search for the jewel shards continues. Of course, never without demons coming after us to try and steal the ones we already have! Wait, this man isn't a demon! Whatever he is, he sure has unbelievable power sealed in his right hand. Is he a good guy or a bad guy? Or is he just a dirty pervert? Next time, "Mystical Hand of the Amorous Monk, Emmett."


	15. Mystical Hand of the Amorous Monk, Emmet

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Sooo... wow. This update came a lot faster than I thought it would. And I've decided that there will be a sequel to this story, and each of them will have close to fifty chapters. Probably less, as I'm going to start combining single chapters into two or three to make extra-long ones. I realize that you'd probably prefer shorter chapters and faster updates to looong chapters and slow updates, but I think that given the immensity of what I'm taking on this year, that second plan is the one I'll be going with. **

**Chapter Summary: Emmett! :D**

**FYI: **Things are about to pick up from here on out. Relationships are going to strengthen soon (*hint, hint*), a temporary alliance between two pricks against Edward will be formed, Edward will do something I doubt anyone will see coming and yet totally expect because it's basically all New Moon, then comes more Tanya the beyotch, and then... *more drum rolls, please* enter Rosalie, enter Jasper, and let there be a whole lot of messy relationship triangles... or rectangles... You get the picture. No more slow, building plotline starting soon! (For those that want to know, characters like Alice and Victoria will be coming later. Victoria won't be for a long while yet, because she's a product of James' growing power and he's not that strong yet. Alice won't come for a short while, around the time we meet Jake! Yay the complicated love triangles that make little Eddie jealous!

**;) Enjoy!**

* * *

_Ohhh baby, I dedicate this to all the pretty girls  
All the pretty girls, it's on  
All the pretty girls in the world --  
And the ugly girls too  
'Cause to me you're pretty anyways, baby_

"Got Your Money," Say Anything (original by Ol' Dirty Bastard)

Emmett's personal philosophy ;)

* * *

Mystical Hand of the Amorous Monk, Emmett

**Bella's POV**

It took me by surprise, but when I woke up after the whole 'Tanya stealing my soul' thing, I felt fine. Better than fine. I felt like I'd slept better than ever before, and was totally recharged of energy. I felt like I should have been apprehensive, or only half-there or something, because Tanya still had part of my soul, but I was great.

Seth kept peppering me with questions, of course, about how I was feeling, or if I was sure it was all right for me to be up and about just yet, and I had to repeatedly assure him that I was just fine.

I sighed, taking a handful of water into my hands from the small watering hole where Seth and I kneeled, draining it quickly. I wished I could say the same of Edward. Ever since his run-in with Tanya, he'd been acting even weirder than normal, just staring off into space. I'd never seen him look so lost and confused.

Seth jumped up, clutching my shirt at my chest, silently asking—or rather commanding—to be held. I put my arms around him absently, watching Edward out of the corner of my eye. Given his current state of mind, I wouldn't have been surprised if he accidentally walked off a cliff.

"Look at him," said Seth, a little contemptuously, but more shocked than anything else. "I've never seen him act this way before."

"Neither have I," I murmured.

He suddenly pushed against my chest hard with his little feet, propelling himself into the air. He punched Edward on the head, and then scrambled back into my arms, trying to run away from him to me like he usually did.

"Bad move," Edward growled, turning around with his usual coarseness. It seemed all the past progress he'd been making had disappeared at the sight of Tanya. He grabbed Seth up by his fluffy tail, letting him dangle over the ground. "What'd you do that for?"

"Quit moping!" Seth snapped, trying to wriggle his body free as he spoke. "Or have you given up on finding the jewel shards?"

"Get off my back," Edward sighed, suddenly looked bored and weary. "Even a guy like me needs some time to think once in a while."

"That's what's worrying me," Seth mumbled frustratedly.

"Worry about this!"

Seth jumped out of his arms, and the two began running around the field in large loops and circles, Edward trying to catch Seth and failing miserably because Seth could use his tricks. Their voices echoed back to me in the empty space, Seth laughed with delighted fear, but they didn't cheer me like they usually did. There was something forced about Edward's normalcy.

"Come back here, shrimp!"

"Can't catch me, can you, big oaf?"

"Now you've done it!"

I sighed again. The Sacred Jewel created nothing but sadness and pain. Tanya claimed that Edward betrayed her, and Edward said it was the other way around. How could two versions of the same story be so different? I could only hope that by the time the jewel was completed again, the mystery would be solved.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

I fanned my heavy brown robes out from me, trying to get some air. It were days like today that made me furious I had been born into the church. Thankfully, after my father's death, I had been able to travel freely. My hair had even grown out of that ridiculous half-bald-half-halo look that I couldn't stand.

I paused in my walk, confused. I knew nothing about this area, and now I was in a fork in the road. Strangely, unnervingly symbolic considering my mission.

I closed my eyes, thinking, _Show me the way,_ and dropped my bronze staff, given to me by my father.

It fell to my right, indicating that I should take that path. As I bent to pick up my staff, I heard two men approaching slowly from behind, chattering amiably. A few simple words caught my attention.

"...new young woman working at the rest house up ahead? They say her fair complexion and large eyes are unparalleled and I understand she's _unattached._" The other man laughed and they continued walking, not even bothering to look at me.

Hmm. I stood up, waiting for them to pass me.

Damn it. They took the left road. Whistling, I put my foot over my staff and slid it to the left, pretending it had fallen there all along. Now _that_ was what I called divine intervention.

**%#!! %#!! %#!!**

I furiously sat down at the table in front of the rest house, waiting for my food. Were those men _blind_? It was true the lady had fair skin and large eyes, but—

"Here you go."

I looked up, unable to meet the woman's eyes after the differences in my thoughts before and after I'd met her. She had to weigh three times more than I did, and she was at least a foot taller. I sighed. She _was_ kind, though.

I prayed thanks for my food and took it, thanking the woman as well.

_Should've stuck to the right._

The imbeciles behind me began gossiping again, and I tried to tune them out. They'd already made me go the wrong way once, and I wasn't about to let them sway me again.

"...the daughter of the lord hereabouts has been possessed and has taken to her bed."

Hmm. Maybe they _were_ good for something.

"They'll require the aid of a skilled priest, then."

I smirked, choking back my laughter. _You have no idea. _

It took me until midday, but I finally managed to walk the heavily traveled road until I found the largest house, really a castle, in the region. My training as a monk told me I should scorn such luxuries and be grateful for life itself, but my life's experience told me to be awed beyond belief. It was enormous, far more room than I was sure they needed, even if the lord had his entire clan living with him. It was beautifully decorated and landscaped, too, which was a bonus, seeing as many new lords squandered their money on ugly statues.

I spoke with two of the guards, explaining that I was a monk with high spiritual powers, and knew of the demon plaguing their lord's daughter. They were skeptical, but went to tell their lord. I couldn't help but overhear them, as they were rather loud and right in the next room.

"Can you be certain this is a monk of high virtue?" the lord asked. _Well, 'virtue' can be construed in many different ways... _

"If one is to believe his claims, then yes, milord."

I was summoned into the next room, and was met with the sight of the lord. I almost pitied the man. He looked older than I'd thought he would be, nearing his forties perhaps, and he was deeply troubled. I could safely assume that was because of his daughter. The reason I did not pity him however was because he was inviting trouble.

He had all his most valuable possessions gathered up against the wall behind him, on display to brag about his titles and money, and yet guarded so poorly that it would tempt even the worst pickpocket.

"Monk," said the lord, pulling my attention back to him. His voice wasn't very pleasant, rather wheedling. "If you can't drive away the demon possessing my daughter, I'll not give you a bowl of gruel, understood?"

I smiled slightly and nodded, gesturing towards the valuables. "My, to live in such opulence in so turbulent a time," I said cheerfully. "Your vassals must surely resent your wealth."

"Impudence!"

Though he seemed wary of me, he was also desperate, so the lord himself showed me to his daughter's room. I was started to become anxious to see her, with the way everyone carried on over her.

"Daughter, a monk has come to see you," the lord said in his wheedling tone, now cosseting. Disgusting. My children would never be spoken to that way.

I looked over his shoulder and saw an even more opulent room, decorated to the nines. In front of a huge statue of the Virgin Mary cradling Jesus, the large four-poster bed held the girl, sleeping in discomfort. She looked terribly ill. Her cheeks were puffed out and swollen so much so that her eyes looked small and beady, and her mouth looked too stretched out. Through the faint outline of the duvet, however, I could see that she wasn't fat. I had to give her points for that, especially after my morning.

"Allow me to see her face," I said. Then I cringed away. I hadn't been mistaken. "Her face is terribly swollen." No demon could have done that. She probably wasn't possessed at all. The lord should just watch what she ate.

"It is always so!" the lord snapped. _Oh, then we might still be in business._ "Are you truly a monk?"

I was about to ask him why else I would wear this hideously thick brown robe around in such heat, when I felt a fourth presence in the room, and one I recognized. I stood up straighter, looking at the statue at the foot of the bed.

"Tell me about that statue," I said, while the lord straightened up as well.

"I received it from some impoverished nobleman," he said carelessly. "It has been blessed."

"Hmm." I got up, carefully stepping around the girl's bed to the statue, and eyed it critically. It wouldn't be worth much, and it was definitely not blessed, but there was something there... I stepped back, looking at the lord casually. I'd done this so many times it felt like a routine. "I am prepared to begin. Leave the lady here with me and take everyone else outside your gate."

"What?"

"And, milord," I said, ignoring his interruption, "mark my words. No matter what you hear or how alarming the sounds from within, you must not look inside."

Looking terrified at the thought of a confrontation with a demon, he nodded and hurried outside. I could hear him barking orders at soldiers, and waited until I was sure everyone was far away from the room before I sighed, thrusting my staff out towards the statue.

"Now then, come out at once and surrender peacefully, and I shall show you mercy."

For a brief moment, there was complete and utter silence. Then, ever so slowly, the statue began to quiver and shake with the effort of the demon inside to ignore my presence and stay hidden. I smirked.

"I should have known you would not give in so easily."

The face of the Virgin Mary went evil, her teeth elongating like fangs, her eyebrows coming together, her eyes narrowing darkly. It was an alarmingly evil visage on such a blessed idol. When the demon sprang free of the statue, her face returned to her own, and it turned out that the evil face belonged to the demon itself.

It shot out of the stone statue, twice as wide as me about five feet larger, and covered in fur.

"A _weasel_ demon, how very befitting."

It lunged for me, but I sprang away easily. The demon was too large to be of any useful speed. It was only a matter of how powerful it was. Standing up on the other side of the lady's bed, the demon turned its head slowly, allowing something on its forward to catch the light spilling in from the windows and shine brightly.

There was only one thing it could be. A shard of the Sacred Jewel.

The demon seemed to realize that I was catching up to its sudden power-burst. It lunged for me again, claws aimed for my chest, but I jumped up, bringing my entire body weight down through my staff onto its head, right where the glow had been. The demon screamed a growl like a panther or tiger would do, and tried to wriggle its way free from under my staff. I wasn't about to allow that.

Turning my staff slightly to the side, the sharper edge of it dug into the demon's forehead, and the shard of the jewel sprang free. I caught it up easily, relaxing now that the weasel had returned to its normal, small, helpless self.

_Now, then... Onto my payment._

* * *

**Lord's POV**

Standing outside and feeling rather idiotic, my men and I listened as the demon inside growled and shrieked fiercely, and the young monk carried out his duty.

"The beast sounds fearsome indeed," I murmured, happy he had warned me to leave the house first.

There was a moment of silence, and then the sound came of boxes tumbling, things being thrown about, and other various sounds not typically associated with an exorcism.

"Shall we take a look, milord?"

"No, we'll wait," I said firmly. "He said we must not look until he gave the word. Besides, I want to make sure that demon is long gone before I step foot in there."

"But, milord, it sounds less like an exorcism and more like the mansion is being pillaged!"

"Just hold on a while..."

And we did 'hold on a while.' Until the damned sun went down. Still there was no word or sound from inside. Finally, I ignored the advice of the monk and ran into the mansion, going straight to my daughter's room.

She was sitting up in her bed, looking down at a small weasel on the floor curiously. I came in and sat down on the edge of her bed, picking up the unconscious animal while she explained what had happened.

"So you say this tiny animal turned into a demon and possessed you?"

"Yes."

"And what of that young monk?" I asked, feeling a little bit betrayed that he had not come to fetch us like he had agreed upon.

I had to physically stop myself from having a heartattack when my own daughter blushed, suddenly looking distant.

"He gave me no name, but left with my heart."

Before I could really ponder the horrifying potential meanings behind that statement, one of the servants came running into the room, panting from his exertion and looking truly distressed.

"My lord! It's a disaster! You must come!"

I ran after them into the parlor room where my newest valuables had been stored, only to find an empty room. The wood floors gleamed brightly, bearing nothing, as though to laugh at me. I could do nothing but gape in shock.

"Everything worth anything has been taken!" one of the servants informed me.

Another added, "Including three of the best horses, milord."

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

_All in a good day's work._

People gave me curious looks as I left the town in a small buggy, three fine horses pulling all the weight of an entire roomful of objects. I knew from experience that I couldn't hold onto the things for long, though I was certain the lord could do nothing to stop me. I had to find a place to pawn them off soon.

**%#!! %#!! %#!!**

I sighed wearily, sinking into the warm, bubbling waters of the hotsprings I had fortuitously stumbled upon. It was so disappointing in today's economy. An entire cartload of precious wares, and they fetched but a pittance compared to the last.

Keeping a wary eye on the monkeys that had come to sit on the rocks—they were notorious around these parts for stealing clothes and other possessions while the owners bathed in the hotspings—I took out the jewel shard I had managed to come by and admired it. At least one good thing had come from my wasted time today.

A voice sighed luxuriously, and I flinched back against the rocks, instinctively clutching the jewel shard in my closed fist. The voice continued, "Now _this_ is what I call a hotspring!"

I turned and peered around the boulders behind me, to see a beautiful young girl slipping into the water. The differences in her expression before the warmth of the water and after were like night and day—she had been through much to need such relaxation. _Maybe I can help with that..._

I gasped, finally noticing what hung from the necklace around her neck, dangling just above her extremely well-proportioned and large breasts. _She wears a shard of the Sacred Jewel! And they're—I mean,_ it's _huge!_

Whoever this girl was, she would be worth the trouble of getting to know. Maybe she could even be of some fun in the time being. Smirking slightly in anticipation, I stood up and started to push my way through the heavy water towards her.

"Don't you even think about peeking at me!" she called angrily. I flinched back, ducking under the rocks. _How in the world had she seen me? _Her back was to me!

That was when I noticed that she wasn't alone. Two companions, both demons by the looks of things, were sitting on the bank of the hotsping. There was a baby demon of some kind, perhaps a raccoon or fox, and what could only be a vampire. But the girl was distinctly human... What was she doing with demons?

"No worries there," the vampire scoffed. "I got _no_ interest." _Your loss, idiot._

"Oh, is that so?" the girl shot back, her pride obviously wounded. "Well, fine, then."

She swam away to the far end of the hotsprings, and I was tempted to follow her, but didn't. I settled down to watch. The baby demon was rapidly shedding its cloths, giggling excitedly under its breath. The vampire glanced at it cursorily and then did a double-take, asking irritably, "Why are _you _getting undressed?"

"Give ya one guess!" the little one returned, grinning as he charged for the water.

With the lightning speed that came with being an immortal, the vampire had the baby demon dangling in the air by its tail from his hand. "Oh, no, you don't."

The little demon looked apologetic, but still eager to be swimming. "Oops, sorry!" he laughed. "Wanna come?"

The vampire immediately dropped the little demon, looking so uncomfortable that I had to bite my bottom lip to keep myself from laughing. I briefly wondered how old this one was, to be so immature around so beautiful a young woman.

"Wait, come to think of it," the baby demon mused with an unfeigned innocence, "how come you and Bella spend so much time together, and yet you never bathe together?" Try as I might, I laughed a little. The vampire looked positively horrified, but the baby demon didn't seem to notice. "Think of all the _fun_ things you could do when there's two of you!"

I choked, having to duck under the water briefly to get out my amusement. But I didn't tarry too long. This whole exchange was making my night.

"Listen, kid..." the vampire was growling, glaring at the ground.

"When Mother and Father were alive, we always bathed together," the baby demon continued speculatively.

The vampire ducked his head, grumbling, "Remind me to explain it to you when you're a bit older."

The baby demon rolled his eyes and fixed a stern look on the vampire, one that demanded honesty. "I guess that means you haven't gone very far with Bella yet, right?"

The vampire flinched, staring at the baby demon, horrified, as though wishing the Earth would open up and swallow him.

The little one dropped his serious expression and turned musing again. "I don't know what that means, but no grown-ups seem willing to answer. I wonder why?"

Finally, the vampire exploded. "_I'll tell you why! In about ten years when you're old enough to understand it!!"_

Chuckling under my breath, I turned my attention back to the girl. These strange people were possibly the best entertainment I'd had in years. The girl was grumbling to herself about "not being the beauty Tanya was" or something, when she suddenly whirled around and screamed.

The vampire was by her side in about a half a second, yelling alarmedly, "What's wrong?"

When I turned my sights back to the girl, I understood the vampire's horrified expression. The monkeys had been attempting to steal the girl's clothes, which I would have had no complaints about, and the girl had stood up to retrieve them, exposing more than half of her lovely body to any passerby. Which happened to include the vampire, who not only looked dumbfounded by that, but also went crashing into the water when the girl dropped a large rock on his head, yelling, "I'm fine, ok? Just go away!"

Hmm... She was beautiful, and she had an emormous portion of the jewel, meaning there was something special about her. It was more than worth looking into, despite the fact that she was with another man. I truly did hate having to resort to violence so much of the time when it came to the lovelier of ladies. A little bit was all right, it kept one fit, but more than that was more often a waste of time and energy.

**%#!! %#!! %#!!**

My eyes narrowed angrily, and I dropped my staff onto the badger demon, Henry's head. He was my friend from childhood, and probably my closest confidant considering my solitary lifestyle, but he could be such a pain in the ass sometimes.

"Allow me to explain," he said hurriedly. "I merely wished for a guarantee!"

But how could he doubt my word? Had I ever lied to him? Others, perhaps, him, never.

I smacked his head again, twice. "I _told_ you that you'd be compensated."

He bowed his head in resignment, murmuring a reluctant, "Yes..." and I grinned. The girl and her companions would be hit before they knew what had happened.

Henry and I watched them throughout the night, precautions for if they decided to continue their travels early, which proved unfruitful. The next morning, however, they began to move again. Straight to the perfect location, I might add.

A cliffside, sheer, but not completely vertical, perfect for sliding down. It would give speed and surprise to the demons below. The vampire demon and the girl were in less than good moods this fine morning, it would seem, because of what had transpired the night before.

The girl, leading a strange pink iron cart of some kind, said exasperatedly, "C'mon, can't you _try_ and see the humor in it? So I bonked you on the head, you saw me naked, can't we just call it even?"

"I saw _nothing_!" the vampire countered, and in the light I could see he blushed furiously. That was odd. Vampires had no blood of their own, which was why they continuously fed on others. If he could blush, that meant he was not entirely immortal. He was a half-breed.

The girl rolled her eyes and asked the baby demon, "He did, didn't he?"

The baby demon, hearing the half-breed's frustratedly embarrassed growls and probably figuring on a beating should he answer honestly, said diplomatically, "I don't know. I was looking somewhere else."

Henry tilted his head to the side, staring down at the group nervously.

"So it's the fellow in red you want me to attack, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, smirking excitedly. "Meanwhile, I shall make off with the girl."

"I still don't understand. Why go to all this trouble? If you use your right hand, it'll be over in seconds."

I scoffed, losing my humor at the reminder of my abnormality. "Don't be a fool. Surely you know better than that? If I were to uncover this hand, everyone in the vicinity would die."

"How could I have forgotten?" Henry said tremulously, but I detected a note of sarcasm in his voice. He had only gotten meek with age, while I had gained strength and confidence. "I just hope you remember who your friends are if this should somehow get out of hand."

I thumped his shoulder and smiled. "You can count on it, my friend."

He placed the strange shape-shifting leaf on his head and said, "Change!" promptly turning into his larger self. He was enormous and yellow in that form, though not anymore powerful. When he expanded his body in his second form, his arms and legs did not, and so they were shrunken inside his second skin. His body was similar to a balloon, only a thousand or more times bigger than any balloon I'd ever seen. Since his expanded form was very light, he could glide on the wind and fly. I had often used him as a mode of transportation during my lifetime.

Instead of flying this time, though, he just slid down the side of the cliff, straight for the half-breed, while I slid down in the opposite direction, landing on the peak just in front of the girl.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

There was a loud rumbling sound, and the three of us looked up simultaneously to see some large yellow balloon-like creature come sliding down the mountainside towards us, yelling loudly. He took Edward by surprise, knocking him right off the peak, but I managed to run forward a few steps with my bike before falling to the ground. Seth, toppling out of the basket, fell off the side of the mountain with Edward and the yellow demon.

Abandoning my bike, I scrambled over to the side of the peak, screaming, "Edward! Seth!"

Something grabbed me from behind, pulling me into their lap. I cried out in surprise, looking up to find myself in the lap of a man not that much older than Edward. He could have been anywhere from eighteen to twenty. He had straight black hair that fell in his eyes, which were large and a deep, sapphire-blue color. Altogether attractive, but instantly an a-hole in my book.

He was sitting on the seat of my back, somehow already knowing how to ride it. He was taking us both fast towards the nearby town that Edward, Seth and I had been heading towards anyway. Edward could never understand it because it was from my era, so how had this priest or monk guy known?

He smiled down at me slightly, and spoke in a voice that was somehow even more seductive than Edward's. But I think this one made his that way on purpose.

"Fear not, young lady," he said. "You have no reason to doubt my intentions. I am nothing more than a simple monk... A monk who desired a jewel shard and got himself a beautiful young woman in the process."

My mouth fell open in horror. "What am I, a consolation prize?!"

Dimly, I heard Edward's voice from behind us yell, "Bella!" And then, quieter, presumably to the yellow demon still trying to push him off the cliff altogether, "What's going on?" I heard him give up conversation with a short, impatient sigh. "Don't take this _personally_"—he punched the yellow demon out of the way on the last word—"but I've got better things to do."

Furiously, Edward drew the Fang and everything sort of stopped. The monk stopped riding my bike, turning to watch the events concernedly while the yellow demon disappeared in a brief cloud of smoke and emerged in another form, one like a badger or raccoon. He was a trickster like Seth, then.

"Please don't kill me!" he pleaded, hunched up in fetal position.

The monk gave an exasperated sigh and took some prayer beads off his hand, remarking, "Your friend is a violent one."

He stretched out his right hand to Edward as though he thought he could reach him, and then there was suddenly something like a black hole or storm. Strong winds caught up Edward and Seth, causing Edward to lose him grip on the Fang and his footing. The both crashed into the side of the mountain roughly.

"Let me go!" I yelled, shoving the monk away and leaping to my feet.

"Certainly... seeing as I have what I desire."

I didn't bother to listen or ponder over his words before grabbing up Seth and Edward and making them let me look them over for injuries. They were both fine physically, but Edward's panties were in a bunch. I figured it was because someone had gotten the better of him for once and he wasn't used to it.

"That creep!" he grumbled. "Who was that guy, anyway?"

"He said he was a monk," I said skeptically, "but what was it that he did with his right hand?"

"Yeah," Edward agreed, his fury momentarily diverted in favor of curiosity. "It felt like I was being pulled into a storm. It was like the wind from his hand was sucking up everything in its path."

I gasped, jumping to my feet furiously. "That monk took off with my bike! The nerve!!"

Edward scoffed, glaring at me. "Like that matters. You were being kidnapped! Don't you think that's more important? I can't turn my back on you for a second!"

"You were worried about me," I mused, surprised. I fell to my knees beside him, suddenly humbled. "Sorry."

He blushed furiously, glaring away from me. "Sorry for _what_? It wasn't _you_ I was worried about. It was your piece of the jewel."

Then why hadn't he asked about it by now? Still, I kept my tone as demure and damsel-in-distress like as possible as I said, "Well... he took more than the bike. He stole my jewel shard, too."

"WHAT?"

Thankfully it wasn't me Edward blamed this time around. I didn't quite understand why he'd taken such an instant hatred of the monk. Other demons and humans had tried to—and occasionally succeeded—take our jewel shards, but he'd never disliked any of them so strongly. He just killed them a little condescendingly. This was waay over the top.

He about pulled my arm out of the socket when he slung my over his back, piggy-back style, and took off, Seth jumping onto my shoulder in the process. Unfortunately, Edward moved fast enough to be conspicuous, but he couldn't move too quickly because he had to track down the scent of the monk.

He shouted angrily, "Damn that thief! He can't have gone very far. I'll hunt the fraud down, wherever he is."

And then he did the worst yet: he stopped, and Seth and I got off his back while he crouched down to the ground, _sniffing._ I blushed horribly as the surrounding villagers stopped and stared at us.

"Come on, Edward, what's taking you?" I hissed.

"Get off my back, there's a lot of smells to sift through."

"But people are staring!"

"I'm with Bella," Seth said nervously. "They don't look too friendly."

"What? Is he some manner of beast?" one of the village men asked, standing next to me.

"See what I mean?!" I hissed to Edward.

"The young man and the boy are odd enough, but look at that strange girl," he went on.

I froze, my cheeks growing even hotter as another asked, "Is she also a demon?"

"Who, me?" I asked tremulously.

Edward sent me a smirk over his shoulder before going back to work. "See how it feels?"

He started to turn and walk down another section of the village less crowded, but definitely the bad end.

"Maybe he didn't come through here," I suggested. More like hoped.

"He was here all right," Edward returned, leaning down to the road. "I can smell him."

"Even if he did pass through, a thief like him wouldn't just be hanging around in a place like—Oh!" I gasped, pointing. My bike was leaned up against the wall of a building right in front of us. And from the looks of it, it was a whore house. I _really_ didn't want to go in there, and I most certainly didn't want Seth going in there, but in his haste Edward didn't seem to notice our discomfort.

Thankfully, we found the monk in a room full of still-clothed women that danced and sang and clung to him. Still, he looked miserable. The women were not exactly pretty.

Edward slammed the door loudly against the wall to announce our presence, and everyone looked up in shock, several of the ladies screaming. They fell to the sides, crawling to the walls to get away. The monk just looked thrilled, staring right at me.

"There you are!" Edward said furiously, stepping forward to engage the monk.

The monk jumped up and walked right past him, grabbing my hands in his and smiling ecstatically. "It's you! I'm so glad you're here! It's too good to be true. You're a real sight for sore eyes."

I glanced nervously at Edward. You could practically feel the fury rolling off him in waves. His back was still to me because the monk had walked right past him, and I think that was why Edward was so... infuriated.

"I'll give you sore eyes!" he snapped, making a swipe for the monk's head, who easily dodged and jumped back.

"You again," he sneered. "I should have figured as much."

I'd never seen Edward so crazy angry. He wasn't even that mad, just... I didn't want to think it, because I knew it wasn't true, but the only word I could come up with to sum up his actions was jealousy.

"Yeah, you should have," Edward shot back icily. "Funny, that's just what I was thinking. But I guess not all of us are blessed with good looks _and_ brains."

Was this some sort of manliness contest for them? Really?

"Don't suppose you'd be interested in handing over that jewel fragment you stole from us?"

The monk reached into his robes and held my necklace away from himself slightly, looking at the partially completed jewel musingly.

"This is not something a demon such as yourself should have," he said.

"We'll see about that!"

Edward ran for him, but the monk jumped off the patio out back and ran down the street. Damn he was fast for a human. With Seth's added little weight on my shoulder and my clumsiness, I didn't have a prayer of catching up to them.

"Come back and fight like a man!"

"I will not fight a senseless battle!"

Edward smirked, drawing the Fang and leaping into the air. "All a matter of opinion!"

The monk glanced over his shoulder in surprise and just managed to bring up his staff in time to deflect the Fang. He blocked the Fang? He couldn't be an ordinary mortal, then.

The monk smirked at Edward over their weapons and said, "You'll be punished, if that's what you insist." Then he shoved Edward back, collecting his bearings.

Edward glared, throwing the Fang over his shoulder, sizing up the monk.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but you're no monk."

"My name is Emmett," said the monk complacently. "And yes, I am a monk, who works to aid the common man."

The villagers gathered around the two began to whisper and speculate amongst themselves, creating a flurry of hushed voices.

"What's going on?"

"A demon?"

"He's slaying demons?"

"Can he do it alone?"

A voice bellowed out above the others as Seth and I finally made it into the throng of people. "Beware, villagers! A monk is about to slay a demon!"

Edward scoffed. "'Work to aid the common man'? You're nothing but a sleazy robber. Now give us back that shard of the Sacred Jewel. We went to a lot of trouble to gather all those fragments and we're not gonna lose it now."

"Touching speech," the monk apparently called Emmett said, smirking coldly. "I know you went to great pains to collect this gem, but it's in far better hands now, Edward."

Edward tensed. "So you knew who I was all along?"

"Not at all," said Emmett dismissively, winking at me over at Edward's shoulder. "Your beautiful companion called you by that name."

I blushed. "He can't be _all _bad," I said hopefully.

Seth pinched my cheek in frustration. "Snap out of it, Bella! He took your jewel shard from right under your nose."

Edward, seeming to have heard our whispered conversation, growled low under his breath for a moment and then charged towards Emmett with a renewed vigor. He struck at the monk with the Fang repeatedly, but every time the monk parried.

"You're very strong," said Emmett easily. "But not strong _enough_."

Just when it looked like their strike-and-parry battle would never end, Emmett stepped backward onto a pile of small, but thick, sticks used for firewood and slid around, falling onto his back in surprise. Edward took advantage of his distraction and smacked the staff away with his hand.

Then, pointing the Fang right into Emmett's face threateningly, he said, "I'll have that jewel shard back from you now. Unless you'd rather die, that is."

Emmett stared at Edward for a brief moment, as though sizing him up, and then cartwheeled backwards, landing on his feet. He took off running for the field just outside the village. Edward, momentarily shocked that a human could move so quickly, took off after him yelling, "As you wish!"

Emmett sent a hurried look over his shoulder as he ran, calling, "Villagers, take heed! Distance yourselves from this place! I warn you, it's for your own safety!"

I ran after them, but didn't dare enter the clearing, especially with Seth on my shoulder. So I took cover behind a nearby house and watched expectantly. That Emmett... what was he planning to do?

Emmett ran out to the farthest edge of the clearing and turned around, smirking manically, while Edward just stopped at the opposite side and said, "End of the line. This time, victory is mine."

Emmett smiled once before holding up his right hand with an air of anticipation. "This may come as something of a surprise," he said slowly, "but I'm a very sore loser." Ripping the prayer beads off his palm, he extended his hand towards Edward again, this time yelling, "Wind Tunnel!"

Just like before, powerful Category-Four-Hurricane-strength winds sprang from nowhere, blowing through the village and sucking everything into the monk's palm. Edward, shocked, stabbed the ground deeply with the Fang and held on tightly, trying to brace himself.

In front of me and Seth, a small barn was completely crushed and torn away by the force of the wind, and the hole in Emmett's hand mercilessly sucked up the horses and hens that had been housed inside.

"How long can you withstand me?" Emmett taunted.

The Fang slid forward in the ground, causing a long line to be gouged out, but he braced himself desperately against it.

Behind me, the villagers were screaming to each other and trying to get away. Well, the monk _had_ warned them. Wait... His hand was just like a black hole, sucking in everything in its path, right?

"Bella! We'd better run while we can!" Seth shouted on my shoulder, struggling to be heard over the roaring wind.

"I've got to stop him," I countered. He'd _warned_ the villagers to stay away from this area because he knew what would happen by uncovering his right hand. He didn't want to hurt humans, meaning he wasn't all bad.

"Surrender while you can," Emmett called to Edward over the screeching winds. "If you get sucked in, you'll never come out."

"Forget it!" Edward called back heatedly, pushing himself off the ground and allowing himself to be dragged along by the winds, keeping his sword firmly in the ground, though. "I'll cut your arm off."

This had to be my time to act, then. That idiot Edward was going to get himself killed one of these days with his impatience and short-sightedness.

"It's futile. My hand will suck you in, sword and all."

I jumped out from behind the house, allowing the strong currents of wind to pick me up and yank me towards Emmett. It worried me for a moment, being that Emmett was so concerned with Edward he didn't notice me for the longest time, but he finally did when I was about two feet behind Edward, the wind holding me several feet above his head. When Emmett saw me, his face went blank with shock, and he hurriedly to cover up his hand with the beads. I was right. He controlled himself, meaning he wasn't evil.

The momentum from his hand kept propelling me forward, though, and I crashed onto his chest, knocking the both of us to the ground. My head smacked his jaw, and I cried out involuntarily, trying to ignore Edward's frantic calling my name.

I sat up and got off the monk, groaning as I rubbed my sore scalp. Emmett remained unconscious as Edward suddenly appeared at his feet with his superhuman speed.

"Are you crazy?" he snapped at me angrily. "You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"I wouldn't have done it if I'd had any doubts," I said, trying to calm him down. "With a hand that powerful, he could've killed us a long time ago if he'd have wanted to. Let's at least give him a chance. Maybe he can lend us a hand."

As I spoke, the 'hand' in question suddenly left the ground, cupping my butt and stroking it. I froze in horrified shock, my cheeks flooding with heat, and screamed as I scrambled to crawl away from the supposed monk. Edward knelt down and held out an arm for me, holding me to his chest more out of anger towards the monk than anything else, I was sure.

"I was wrong! Kill him!" I shrieked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Edward gripping his untransformed Fang so tightly his knuckles went even whiter and his hands shook.

He snarled out, "You just blew your last chance!"

Calm as ever, Emmett sat up and sat, "Settle down and let me explain things."

* * *

**Seth's POV**

As the sun set nearby, Bella took out my favorite new food from her backpack, and I climbed up in the tree to watch but not experience the fight I knew would come from Edward. He was sitting close to Bella, angled away from the monk, tense and wary, but slightly calmer. Bella was watching the monk curiously as he spoke, though slightly more distrustful after his groping stunt.

"I, too, am gathering the shards of the Sacred Jewel," Emmett began, "in order to find a certain demon and destroy him. A terrible demon that goes by the name of James. This Wind Tunnel in my right hand was created by a curse placed by James."

"What sort of demon _is_ James?" Bella whispered.

"I know little of him except that he is malicious, and seeks to devour people. According to Father, it was my grandfather who battled James in his youth. That was about fifty years ago. Their battles ensued for several years, and whenever they met, James took on the form of a different human. It seems that if he devoured a person, their likeness became his own."

"He was a shape-shifter?" Bella asked, sounding shocked and skeptical at the same time. I bit down hard on my treat, and resisted the urge to cry out. I loved this little treat Bella brought from her world, some sort of hardened sugar dyed different colors atop an inedible stick, but they hurt sometimes if you tried to bite directly into them.

"In their final battle, he took on the form of a beautiful woman." Emmett smirked slightly. "My grandfather had great spiritual power, but unfortunately—"

"He was a lecher," Bella finished flatly.

Emmett glanced at her in shock, commenting, "Remarkable intuition," before continuing. "James pierced my grandfather's right hand with the seals and managed to escape. The last thing he said to my grandfather was, 'The abyssal hole that I have cursed you with shall be passed on to your progeny, so long as I live. Each generation shall thus be cursed, until no one remains.' This Wind Tunnel gets bigger by the year, and the winds ever more powerful. If I don't kill James, I will eventually be sucked in myself."

"So in other words, you mean it would kill you?"

"Yes," Emmett sighed, lowering his hand. "And I am prepared to accept that fate, if such is truly my destiny. But I can't let James go unchecked. The Sacred Jewel that vanished fifty years ago has appeared recently in fragments. James is sure to gather the pieces in order to strengthen his powers. It is said that James nearly got the jewel fifty years ago, in doing so, he slew the priestess protecting it."

Edward's lazy stance tensed, and his eyes popped open.

"You say he killed the priestess?" Edward asked, jumping to his feet.

"Yes."

Edward turned to Bella, furiously working things out. "He must be the one who took my form and wounded Tanya. There's no doubt about it." He jumped forward and grabbed up Emmett by his robes, saying urgently, "Emmett, you said this demon takes on all kinds of different forms. What does he look like now?"

"Calm down, if I had that information I would have slain him long ago myself," said Emmett coldly, jerking himself out of Edward's grasp.

Edward's infuriated expression spoke more than words ever could. He was probably already imagining scenes where he tracked down this James character and ruthlessly killed him, slowly and most likely painfully. Bella, after sending a concerned glance at Edward, pulled her necklace with the large jewel shard from around her neck and said, "If we keep looking for these shards, we're sure to run into James, right?"

"How did you get that back?" Emmett demanded, sounding shocked.

Bella ignored him, concluding cheerfully, "Let's search for the jewel shards together." She glanced slyly at Edward. "Unless you plan on giving up, Edward?"

Edward furiously rounded on her, saying forcefully, "I'm never giving up."

"What do you say?" she asked Emmett, who stared at her shocked for a moment before averting his gaze uncomfortably.

"I've always been more of a solitary man," he explained. "Preferring to work on my own, rather than in the company of others."

Bella's face lost its usualy chipperness and turned troubled. "Yeah, but soon you won't even have your own company to enjoy," she pointed out.

Emmett glanced at Bella out of the corner of his eye, and I tensed, aware that this would probably be what would cause the monk's death at Edward's irrational hand.

"Dear Bella," Emmett sighed, taking Bella's hands. "Are you troubled by this fate of mine?"

"Of course," Bella said, looking more than a little bewildered. I laughed slightly under my breath.

"Then do me this good turn, will you?" Bella just stared. "I wish for you to bear me a child."

Edward, who had started to walk away, froze, his face going granite-hard while his eyes blazed. Bella sort of choked on air for a second and then asked tremulously, "And why would I do that?"

"If I should fail to destroy James and die, I need a child to carry on my family's mission," Emmett explained, putting an arm around Bella's shoulders and pulling her body closer to his. Edward's face was livid when he turned around and wrenched Bella out of the monk's arms, stepping in between them, his back to Bella protectively.

"Hands off, priest!" he snapped. "Your only 'family mission' is lechery."

"I'm a monk, not a priest," said Emmett calmly.

Edward ignored him, continuing to fume, "Don't even _think_ of laying a hand on Bella again!"

Emmett's eyes went wide with shock. "Oh, I beg your pardon," he said, sounding more confused. "I thought you no more than a companion, but it seems you are in love with Bella."

I almost fell out of the tree trying to stop my laughter. Bella and Edward were so alike sometimes. At that simple statement, both of them blushed scarlet and flinched away.

Emmett scratched the back of his head, laughing, "My, this is awkward."

Edward, now mad for no reason other than embarrassment, spluttered, "You-You've got it all wrong! She-She's just a... a jewel detector!"

Bella pushed Edward away from herself furiously, snapping, "JEWEL DETECTOR?" Her eyes narrowed coldly. "Oh, how could I forget? _You_'ve got a thing for dead girls!"

Both Emmett and Edward stared at her in horrified shock at that, for different reasons. That was a little vindictive. I hadn't known Bella's temper was so swift.

"Who should I help out?" she asked, out loud. "Emmett's a lot nicer than Edward."

"You wouldn't dare betray me!"

"You can't really blame her. You _could_ treat her more kindly."

"Shut up!"

I shook my head, laughing. So much for everyone coming to a peaceful solution. _I never want to grow up._

"You should learn from Emmett!"

"Yes, you could try being more gentle."

"Yeah! Being more gentle."

"Like this..."

"AHH! Get your hands off me!"

_"I told you not to touch her!!"_

* * *

**Lol so that's all for now. This has to be one of my favorite ones in the whole she-bang. Anywho, don't forget to review!**


	16. Cursed Ink of the HellPainter

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Sorry for the long update! Though I think I did warn you. I've started school again, and I'm taking all college courses this year, even though I'm sixteen. Not to mention my piano/guitar/viola lessons, my after-school seminars for AP Biology, and Medical Club. If you haven't guessed it yet, I'm studying to become a NICU nurse (a nurse that works in the neonatal intensive care unit—or a nurse that works with sick babies). I might even go on to be a doctor, but I really want to be in the NICU. **

**Did I tell you all that my guidance counselor has informed me that I am enrolled for VoTech next year, in which I will work in Sentara Hospital and become a licensed practical nurse before I'm nineteen? I'm on a roll!!**

**...Which means updates are going to be very slow during the school year. I'll try for every weekend, or every other weekend at most, but there's no guarantees now. **

**Anywho, chapter summary:** Edward, Bella and Seth now know that James was the demon who caused Edward and Tanya to hate each other. While traveling with Emmett, they discover the scent of ink on an old battlefield. They follow the scent to a mysterious artist, only to be attacked by demons escaping the drawings! Why are the paintings alive? A fragment of the jewel gleams from the chest of this strange artist...

**(FYI: The minor villain in this chapter is not important. He's killed by the end of this chapter anyway. Therefore, he won't have a name :D )**

* * *

_I don't care what you think, as long as it's about me  
The best of us can find happiness in misery  
I said I don't care what you think, as long as it's about me  
The best of us can find happiness in misery_

"I Don't Care," Fall Out Boy

* * *

16. Cursed Ink of the Hell-Painter

**Artist's POV**

The sun had set hours before, but those damned mercenaries were still at my heels. I had already lost two paintings to the grounds as I stumbled and fell in my weariness, but I yet clutched more—along with the more precious ink well and its little benefactor.

I tripped over a small rock in the reeds I tried to pass through, and dimly heard the mercenaries shouting to each other behind me, their horses neighing sharply in protest at being ridden for so long.

"After him!"

"He carries a shard of the Sacred Jewel!"

I turned when I heard a most curious sound: rather like wood bending and stretching. Only then did I realize several of the robbers had strung bows and were taking aim at me. I yelped and jumped back, hiding among the roots of a tall tree which the arrows pierced, barely missing me.

I would never make it out of there alive if this kept up much longer. I was weakening under exhaustion, and those men had horses. I would have to resort to my trickery, then.

Seizing one of my three remaining portraits roughly, I yanked it open and flung the ink drawings off the page. They rose up in a great cloud of evil black ink, demons of all shapes and colors and sizes, bearing the sharpest weapons.

The men on their horses screamed in fear, then came to me the sound of weapons finding purchase in fleshy bodies... and then silence.

The demons were indeed thirsty for blood. I chuckled under my breath, admiring the beautiful shard of the jewel I held in my ink well. They would drink their fill of the wretches who terrorized me.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The path was too bumpy, so I hopped off my bike and walked alongside it, following the silent Edward and Emmett.

It was a quiet, rather uneasy walk. There was obvious tension and emnity flowing out of Edward, who still hadn't learned to trust Emmett after his second groping incident. Emmett, purposefully oblivious to these feelings, was ominously silent and kept glancing at his cursed right hand impatiently, as though he thought he had better be on a mission.

Finally, surprising me, both men came to a sudden stop, their bodies rigid. I couldn't see around them, and I was almost certain I should have been glad at that. But then Seth, sitting in the basket at the front end of my bike, groaned at the sight before them, and my curiosity got the better of me.

I leaned around Edward and saw a battlefield.

A _new_ battlefield, with bodies that still held skins. Even the horses had been slain. It was a horrific sight, and I turned away swiftly, squeezing my eyes shut in a vain attempt to block the images of the gruesome sight. Hundreds of crows bawled loudly overhead.

"What is this?" Seth asked, sounding like he was going to puke. "Warriors defeated in battle? Looks like they were slaughtered."

"Everywhere we go, there's nothing but war," I sighed, forcing myself to look at the others.

Edward, his face calm and unperturbed, responded grimly, "You're mistaken. This was no battle." He hestitated, tilting his head to one side and sniffing at the air curiously. Completely irrational, I had to fight back laughter as I always did when he acted strangely. "Something's not right," he said finally. "I don't smell blood at all."

Emmett's face was lined and looked older than I'd ever seen it. He closed saddened eyes and crossed himself, adding afterwards, "Most likely the work of some demon." He opened his eyes, his expression bleak. "And no ordinary demon at that." He glanced at Edward almost warily. "Which must mean it possesses a shard of the Sacred Jewel."

Edward glanced back at the other man coldly, and, seeming to come to a decision, snapped, "Emmett, let's get one thing straight. I have no intention of teaming up with you, whatever Bella says. And I'm certainly not giving any jewel shards to you."

Emmett smirked slightly, adjusting his staff from one shoulder to the other. "What you mean is... each man for himself. Am I right?"

"Absolutely."

A slight wind blew through, picking up our clothes and ruffling our hair. I wanted to yell at Edward, to ask him who the hell he thought he was to make decisions like this without asking Seth and I, but something in his expression silenced me. I sent a regretful glance toward Emmett, which he intercepted, and returned with a small smile.

"In that case, I shall take my leave," he concluded finally, turning his enigmatic sapphire gaze back on Edward. "It would probably be better for us anyway, to compete from afar."

Seth sighed as we watched Emmett turn and stride back off in the opposite direction of where Edward faced.

"Too bad," he said sadly. "He was starting to grow on me."

"Are you _sure_ you want him to leave, Edward?" I asked, staring at Emmett's retreating back.

I was met with silence.

I turned, as did Seth, and the road before us was empty.

"Where'd he get to?" I asked blankly.

From several hundred yards back the path we'd just traveled, the exact spot hidden from us by several hills, a desperate cry pierced the air, "Help! A demon!"

_No..._

I turned and pedaled the bike as fast as I could, churning up the dry dirt under my tires in a puff of smoke. When I reached the top of the hill overlooking the scene, I was properly horrified. I blushed scarlet as Seth and I watched Edward, holding the weak human man up in the air by his shirt with on hand, and holding a letter close to his nose with the other. He looked like the curious puppy again, but this time, I was far from amused.

"No!" the man cried, wriggling around whilst dangling helplessly, "Return that letter at once! I must deliver it!"

"Was _this_ the scent I was picking up?" Edward asked himself musingly, ignoring the man's antics completely.

"Sit!" I said hurriedly, and the necklace around Edward's neck immediately pulled him face-first into the ground. The letter fluttered harmlessly from his hand, and the man sprang away a pace before he could be dragged down, too.

The man scrambled to pick up the letter and ran away after a fearful glance over his shoulder at Edward, who still lay on the ground, frozen as though from ice.

Finally, when he regained the ability to move, Edward sprang up and was no more than a foot from my face within seconds. I was becoming so used to his rapid movements, I was hardly surprised to find him there.

"What'd you do that for?" he barked angrily, balling his hands into tight fists. Though we both knew he would never dream of hurting me. I looked too much like Tanya, it would seem, for him to be able to stand it.

"'Cause you were pestering the poor guy," I snapped. "He was just an ordinary man. What's with you anyway?"

Edward, who looked slightly embarrassed from being spoken to in such a way, crossed his arms stubbornly and informed me condescendingly, "He was giving off the same scent of ink as that battlefield. If I can follow the scent of that ink, I can find the demon."

"The demon," Seth agreed sarcastically, "or anyone else who happens to have a letter on them."

"Do you want to come up with a better plan, or do you want Emmett to get the jewel shard first?" Edward retorted sulkily.

I sighed impatiently. So _that's_ what this was about. "What do you have against him, anyway?"

Edward, who looked completely stunned, dropped his arms and almost shouted in disbelief, "So now you're telling me that that lecher's your _type_?"

"Very much so."

I bit my lip to keep from laughing when Edward's face went even whiter than normal, and he almost fell off the side of the hill in surprise.

"Nah, just joking," I said, giggling.

Edward was too preoccupied to hear me. I worried momentarily that he might have gone insane. He stood at the base of the hill, looking around in utter disbelief, and muttering to himself in shocked, skeptical tones.

"She _likes_ him? What could she possibly see in that guy?!"

"Can't you pay attention for more than three seconds?!" I growled.

Seth, apparently deciding Edward wasn't worth his attention anymore, shook his head, rolling his eyes, and rolled over onto his back in the basket, yawning, "He's such an idiot."

* * *

**Artist's POV**

"Incredible!" the lord exlaimed, shocked but otherwise emotionless. "_You_ mowed down that army of men? On your own, no less?"

I bowed before him again, as was the custom, and answered as humbly as I was able. He leaned forward slightly.

"If it is the truth you speak, I would be honored to have you join my military forces," he said, sounding geniune, but there was a distinct _'but' _sound from his tone.

"Thank you!" I said, trying to make my tone match my humble posture. "I had heard that those mercenary soldiers were becoming a nuisance to you. I thought it the perfect opportunity to display my strength."

The door to my right opened and a hesitant, decidedly servant, voice spoke, "My lord, I must speak with you..."

I gasped, looking up at the lord worriedly. _Please let them not know... It will ruin my last chances!_

The servant leaned down and whispered to the lord for several short moments, but it felt like an eternity. Finally, the lord's eyes went wide and his head popped up.

"What?" he snapped.

Almost before I knew what had happened, I had been thrown out of the front gates forcibly, and two soldiers used as guards were standing over me in menacing positions.

"Your claims of power are unfounded! You're just a wandering artist from the capital!" one snapped heatedly.

Shaking against the burning in my limbs, I propped myself up onto my forearms and pleaded, "No, I spoke only the truth! I _am_ powerful and I _did_ kill all those soldiers! I am not an artist! Please allow me to speak with your lord again!"

The guard nearest me brought his staff down on my back hard, and I cringed, clenching my jaw as tight as I could to keep from giving them the satisfaction of hearing me cry out in pain. The other joined in, and they both continued to patronize and shout at me.

"Fool! One of our men remembered you from yesterday when you tried to sell your worthless paintings!"

I struggled to sit up partially under their brutal, blunt attacks, straining to reach into the chest of my shirt, where, resting inside a hidden pocket, my cursed ink waited for battle.

"Go e_asy_ on the poor man!"

I froze. Who would defend _me_? I glanced up, expecting to see some low-born servant maid of the castle's, waiting for the soldier's to tell her off, but I was met with the sight of the young Lady herself, the princess of this one castle, attended by her maids. She wore one of the finest dresses I'd yet seen in the region, especially after our country had hit the economic difficulties.

"O-Of course, my lady! Forgive us! W-We didn't see you there!"

The lady, satisfied, turned and walked away, back to the courtyard on the side of the castle. The guards furiously rounded on me, and the uglier, fatter one growled, "Damn... You're lucky she saved your life."

I barely heard. I couldn't tear my eyes from the lady that had saved my life. _So beautiful..._ Raven black hair, sapphire blue eyes, delicately pale skin...

Before I could recover from the shock of being defended by the Lady, the soldiers were upon me and had bound my ankles and wrists. I was blindfolded, and they threw me about so roughly that with every twist and turn of who- or whatever was carrying me, I became more and more confused and lost.

Then the two men stepped down, and carried me a few paces.

"Good riddance!" one said, and I felt myself be tossed and thrown. I let out an involuntary screamed as water surged around my body, pulling my under as it rushed and roared about me.

"Good luck!"

"Don't catch a cold!"

The last thing I heard was their laughter.

By the time I had freed myself and was able to reach the shore without drowning, I was miles away from the castle and his men. Dripping wet and livid, I stalked down the road beside the now-placid stream of water I'd just come out of, growling low to myself.

"Damn them to Hell!"

But wait. I paused, a new, happier thought sweeping over me in a delicious wave of anticipation. I could summon my demon brigade and defeat any and all enemies. I _deserved_ to become a war lord! No one should be able to critize me!

I took my wet ink well out of my hidden shirt pocket and laughed gleefully.

I would possess my own castle. I would be surrounded by riches, and I would prosper!

Unbidden, the image of the flawless lady-to-be that had saved me worse torment sprang up before my eyes.

_Yes, and I shall marry a lady—even a princess! There is nothing I cannot achieve!_

I laughed happily to myself, imagining the looks on the faces of those who had scoffed at me when I became one of the most powerful men in the region. Maybe even in the whole world.

A hand, unprovoked and surprisingly sudden, swept out of nowhere and grasped me roughly by the back of my neck and the clothes there.

I froze, thinking of the soldiers and if they had yet more things in store for me. But when I turned, I was face-to-face with one of the most glorious-looking young men I had ever seen in my life. He stood at minimum a foot and a half taller than me, in a richly garbed red outfit. He had the face and body one shoulder dream of painting, and a perfection not known to mortal men.

A vampire!

"Excuse me," the vampire said, his politeness very forced. "Mind answering a few questions?"

"Wh-What?"

A woman on some strange iron contraption came flying up the road, with a small fox demon in the basket of her cart thing.

"Great!" she groaned sarcastically to herself. "He's picking on some guy again!"

The little baby demon sighed exasperatedly and closed his eyes, saying despondently, "Six innocent peasants down, hundreds of thousands to go."

I'd heard enough. Obviously that woman was only in the guise of a human, and the rest were quite frighteningly demons.

"Who are you?" I demanded of the vampire in red, who still had me by the neck. He looked neither alarmed by me, nor thirsty. He was downright _bored_. "I warn you, I'm powerful!" I gasped, breaking off, "I mean, I am nothing more than a mere second-rate artist."

"An artist?" the vampire repeated skeptically. Then he lost his calm facade and barked, "Then answer me this, _little man_: why is it you reek of ink and fresh human blood?"

I gasped. He knew!

I lunged forward, trying to surprise him with the speed of my fleeing, but he held me so tightly that I was just jerked back against his chest. He moved away as far as he dared, as thought I were something disgusting that nevertheless had to be kept near, and I squirmed, fighting him as best I could. I would never give up, especially not so easily.

"Release me!"

I stomped on his foot as hard as I could, elbowing him in the gut at the same time. He doubled over for nothing more than an instant, but it was enough for me. I sprinted away several yards, already groping around in my hidden shirt pocket for one of my paintings. Wrapping my hand around the scroll of parchment, I broke the seal holding it together and flung it open at the vampire.

Within a second, the demon that I had painted on the surface of the parchment was magnified several times, growing until he far exceeded the vampire's own size and towered over him on the road. As he grew, the my demon also became more substantial, until it was out in the world as alive as any one of the people standing on the road. Not to mention he was now strong, and he had his own spear for a weapon.

The blue demon of my imagination plunged a hand into the ground, attempting to crush the vampire, who only just managed to dodge. While his companions cried out for him nervously, I took my chance and ran as fast and far as I could.

The heel of my right foot hit a small hole in the ground, where a rock might have been at one point, and the unevenness of it sent me falling. Since I had conveniently ran to the top of a hill at dusk, when the dew on the grass is just beginning again, I was sent slipping and sliding and flipping over myself, screaming all the while, down to the dock at the bottom of the hill.

There was only one point tied to it, but I didn't care. Whoever owned the boat would probably rather have his livelihood stolen by me than have to face one of my demons anyway.

Stabbing the water with the oars, I rowed away as fast as I could. Who knew when that vampire would defeat my demon and come after me?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The demon that had somehow appeared out of the small villager's painting brought down its spear head at Edward, but missed by mere seconds. For all he was big, the demon was clumsy and slow.

"Hey, you! Come back here!" Edward shouted furiously after the little man, who kept running, screaming to himself as though all the demons of hell were after him. He seemed to trip and disappear over the side of a hill.

Was he a demon, too? How else could he make that strange blue demon of his come to life from a painting? But... if he was a demon... why had he run away like that? Weren't demons supposed to be all big and bad, no-nonsense? He couldn't be a monster. He was just a scared human.

In the small seconds of my musings, Edward had sprung up into the air and brought his sword down through the demon's head. The monster sort of fell to its knees, its face frozen in a look of dumb surprise, and then collapsed on the ground in an enormous puddle of blood... that was black. Edward was drenched in it.

Seth cried out, horrified, and pointed. "Black blood?!"

It might have been funny if it wasn't so strange. Edward, furious and dripping, spitting and hissing like an angry cat, was trying to walk out of the black blood. But he kept slipping and sliding all in it, until he fell right on his butt, his sword flying out of his hands and transforming back into a piece of crap.

Edward didn't even bother trying to move anymore—he just stared at the ground, now saturated with this strange black liquid, as though seeing it for the first time.

He coughed loudly, obviously annoyed by the smell, and muttered, "What the hell? This is blood and _ink_!"

Without another word or warning, Edward sort of groaned and fell back on the ground, his arms and legs all splayed out like he was going to make a Christmas angel in the ink. I started after him, to help him up, but then he started—there was no other word for it—_giggling._ Something about drowning and playing in blood and ink was _humorous_ to him?

Seth, covering his nose and mouth, ran over to Edward and explained, his voice muffled and nasal, "His nose is too sensistive. The stench of ink and blood got to him."

Holding Edward up under his arms as though he were a child, I was torn between the desire to smack him into his senses and to laugh hysterically. Edward was _high_?

* * *

**Artist's POV**

After reaching the shore on the opposite side of the river, I leaped out of the boat and tore off, running as fast and long as I could, until my chest felt it would burst from exertion. Only then did I stop, ducking behind a tree.

My back pressed up against the rough bark, I glanced back over my shoulder to check of pursuit. There was none.

Relieved, I let my head fall back against the tree as well.

Who _was_ that vampire? He'd caught the scent of blood and ink on me as easily as though I had bathed in it this morning.

I felt the familiar surge of warmth come over me as I remembered my ink well and its benefactor. It was _him_ who should be afraid, not me. Behind me, I had endless battalions of demons under my control.

What did _he_ have? His fists? A sword? A human girl and a baby demon?

I was being stupid for even doubting I could prevail against him.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

"An exorcism?" one of the guards repeated skeptically. I felt like whaling him with my staff just once, if only to show him that stupid questions deserved no answer.

But, as it was, I was in need of a place to stay the night and this lovely lord's house had shown itself to me as though it were fate. If only these two idiot guards would see that and let me pass, I could be done with it.

"Yes," I replied, forcing myself to be patient. "I can sense an evil shadow over this mansion. I can exorcise the demons in one night."

"Some claim!" the other, shorter, guard scoffed. "This mansion is blessed each year by a reputed priest of status which you'll never attain!"

"Leave this place at once!" the other barked, deciding not to beat around the bush. "The only curse we have is being plagued by visits from rogues like _you_!"

I stared at him, allowing none of his words to settle on me and make me do something I would regret. It wouldn't have been worth the fight, anyway.

The shorter one scoffed as well, and both guards turned their backs on me, however reluctant, and began to walk away, still muttering furiously to themselves.

"Evil shadow, he says! Hah!"

I sighed, blocking their perpetual complaints out of my mind. There was no other way about it. I would have to spend the night in the forest again.

I turned and walked away, passing over the small wooden bridge that led over the moat and out to the village. There were no sounds about, other than the jingling of my staff. Everyone seemed to be inside, safe and warm, asleep. I sighed again.

Just then, a shadow really _did_ pass overhead. I glanced up, only to gasp and do a double-take. There was an enormous black cloud, ominously unnatural, looming up toward the mansion. There were small, darker shadows obscured, but I could tell that there was nothing benevolent about it.

I whirled around and shouted, "Run! The evil shadow I spoke of is upon us!"

"Listen to him," I heard one guard laugh derisively.

"Is he _still_ at it?"

"His arrogance goes unbridled."

I knew it was wrong and that God might even punish me for it, but I felt a swift surge of satisfaction at the sheer terror on the taller man's face as he turned and saw the cloud. _Teach you to make fun of _me_, huh?_

The other spun around as well, and the both screamed and put up a feeble defense as demons of all shapes, sizes, and kinds spilled out of the cloud like evil ants of a demolished, hellish anthill.

I gasped, my hand involuntarily gripping my staff tighter as I noticed the specifics about the demons now slaughtering the men trying to defend their lord's castle. The bull demon and dragon demon...? But they only existed in paintings of hell!

There was a shrill, feminine shriek, followed by a swift, "Help! Someone save the lord's daughter!"

Evil shadow and hell demons forgotten in light of this new, far more desirable development, I couldn't hide my self-satisfied smirk as I called back, "Coming!"

* * *

**Artist's POV**

_I wandered down a dark hallway, lit only by precious few candles, door after door opening themselves to me as though Fate itself were trying to help me along. _

_Somehow I knew where I was going, and I knew what I was going to find when I got there. Another door opened, and, unbidden, a wave of pure desire and longing crashed over me with the image of the lady-to-be that had saved me from an even more wretched fate than the one I had received. _

_I knew not her name, but her face was ingrained before me, those full lips turned up at the corners in a small, knowing smile, her thick, midnight hair tumbled around her shoulders..._

_Another door opened, and I was that much closer to her. I stepped outside onto what seemed to be a balcony, and I knew instinctively that she was so close I could have smelled her. _

_Before I had a moment to register what was happening, there she was, seated before me on the ground as though she'd been waiting for me. I walked towards her, slowly, savoring the feeling that came with my assumping of her patience, and she didn't move. _

_She wasn't as my previous thoughts had led me to believe. Just as I had seen her last, her hair was neat and tidy, tied back in an elegant coif. Her clothes were the same, that beautiful dark green that complimented her pale skin so well. _

_I held out my hands, taking another few clumsy steps forward... She was right there... She was practically mine..._

_She seemed to hear my approach and turned, and the visage of her took my breath away. Her eyes closed, her pale, perfect face angled up to me, her lips curved in that knowing smile I'd imagined... _

_But then her eyes opened and I flinched away, crying out involuntarily. Gone were the beautiful sapphire eyes that I had last seen her with, to be replaced with blood red, evil eyes that seemed to plaster me to my spot. _

_"What has happened to you?!" I gasped, unable to stop myself from recoiling backwards when she rose to her feet._

_"Blood..." she whispered longingly, her white hands stretching out to me, fingers bent like a spider's. "I want your blood!"_

_While I stared, dumbfounded, she grabbed me round my throat, cutting off my air supply. She grabbed the hand I had held up to deflect her with, and like some sick horror, I watched as the flesh was melted from my very bones. I screamed in pain and terror, shrieking on repeat, "Stop! Stop! Stop!"_

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

I ran down the hall, following the sounds of the lady screaming, flinging doors open as I passed.

Finally I found her, sitting on the floor of what appeared to be her receiving room, and flung myself to a stop right in front of her, my stance and staff at the ready, just as a horde of demons and that same evil-looking cloud broke through the door opposite the one I had entered.

Enormous creatures at least ten times my own size burst in, immediately looming up over our heads, and I barely had time to wonder how the hell I could defeat them without the Wind Tunnel when a detached voice screamed, _"STOP!!"_

It seemed that the girl didn't hear this voice, because she stared at me in wonder as the demons slowly disintegrated, returning back to the cloud outside and flying off without a growl of backwards glance.

I could live with taking the credit, though.

* * *

**Artist's POV**

"Stop!" I screamed, sitting bolt upright.

I looked around, breathing heavily, cold sweat running down the length of my body.

It took my a few moments to realize that I was in no danger. I was in my one-room house, really a hut, that I had commandeered from a local fisherman who found himself unable to say 'no.'

My paintings and drawings lay scattered about the floor, littering every surface.

Without thunder or lightning as a warning, rain was suddenly pelting down on the tiny wooden hut that I stayed in. I got up to look outside door—mainly to check and make sure that the rain wasn't going to simply destroy the cheap, badly made building—but was given pause when I saw that the rain was black.

Not only that, but it had a funny metallic scent to it.

The skies were raining _ink_?

But the sky through the rain was nearly cloudless! Just then, as though having dispensed all the liquid it could, the rain stopped, and black puddles sat still and docile on the ground.

Not giving me a spare instant to try to collect my thoughts, the puddles themselves sprang up off the ground as though wishing to prove the theory of gravity wrong, whizzed past me and was absorbed straight into my ink well that also held my jewel shard.

I stared at the simple, innocent-looking well in horror and shock.

So... while I had been sleeping, the ink had taken action on its own?

What _else_ could this evil ink do?

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

Almost before I realized what had happened, I was sitting at a grand dinner table, surrounded by the lord and a few of his men, with his own daughter seated to my right. She kept glancing up at me from the corner of her eyes, only to blush and look back at her food hurriedly when she saw that I was watching her, too.

"I'm indebted to you, monk," the lord said, his tone brusque, but one couldn't deny the sincerity of his words. "Please pardon the rudeness of my men earlier. I am so thankful you protected my daughter!"

"You need not thank me," I said, trying to play up the images all monks or persons of holy power seemed to create: one of pure good, humbleness. "And I bear no grudge towards your men. However, you must not let your guard down yet. I doubt if the attack by the demons is over."

I shot a glance at the lady-to-be before realizing my mistake. I put a finger to my chin and pretended to be thinking hard. "Come to think of it..." I murmured pensively, "I think the lady-to-be will undoubtedly be safer if she stays the night with me. Here, in the same room. Sharing the same bed."

"He's at it again! And I suppose you'll need to search her clothes while you're at it, too, you pervert?" a disbeliving, distinctly familiar voice scoffed from outside, just to our right. Through the open patio doors, I could just make out Edward's figure as he stood at the back of Bella's iron contraption.

"Well, if it isn't my dear friends Bella and Edward," I said, pleasantly comparing Bella's dark brown hair and deep brown eyes as opposed to the lady's black hair and drowning blue ones. Would the lady be worth it to pursue, if Bella, though not as lovely, were right there for the taking?

Edward, lithe as ever, sprang down from the back of the iron cart and looked around, surveying the damage to the mansion that had been caused by the demons.

"Damn!" he muttered fiercely. "We must've just missed them."

"Emmett, did the ink demons appear here, too?" Bella asked urgently, not bothering to get up from her frightfully unladylike (but also highly attractive) position of straddling her iron cart.

I reluctantly put off my almost absent-minded comparisons and rose to my feet. "I suppose," I said slowly, "but I didn't realize they were made of ink."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

After Emmett kindly invited us inside to share his bedroom from the lord for the night, Edward sulkily stepped out onto the patio, close enough so that he could easily hear and reach us should something happen, but with his back to us to let us know that he wasn't in a chipper mood. Seth sat on his lap, trying to keep him company, while I filled Emmett in on the details Edward and I had discovered.

"An artist who manipulates demons?" he repeated, almost skeptically, but really just stunned.

"Yes, but he wasn't a demon," I stressed, clarifying this mystifying point.

Emmett looked down pensively, and agreed, "Very troubling..." Then he lifted his bowed head and mused, "It could be that this artist is using the power of a Sacred Jewel fragment."

I nodded fervently, adding, "Then the demons who attacked this mansion just now—"

"—are almost certainly being controlled by the artist," Emmett concluded, nodding, looking more grave than I'd ever seen him. I was surprised by how serious he took his job of getting rid of troublesome demons. I'd honestly thought he couldn't be serious about anything.

Outside, Seth's happily muffled voice as he spoke around a biscuit said, "I've seen the Sacred Jewel do some pretty amazing things—but bringing paintings to life?" There was a pause, and then, annoyed now, he asked, "Why are you just sitting here? Don't you want to join the others in forming a plan?"

Edward just scoffed and turned his head.

I groaned exasperatedly, "Get off it! How long are going to sulk like that?"

"Is something the matter, Edward?" Emmett asked, only a little concerned.

"Leave me alone," Edward groaned, as thought putting up with us was the worst trial of his life.

"Can't you get over yourself and work with Emmett even a _little_?" I demanded, beyond aggravated. I turned to Emmett, rolling my eyes. "What can I say? The guy is so jealous!"

Edward whipped around so fast I thought his neck would break. His cheeks tinted slightly pink, he attempted to scoff, "Wh-What?! Why would I be jealous?"

I closed my eyes slightly, fighting back annoyance, as I felt Emmett take my hands in his. It was all I could do to fight the urge to 'sit' Edward when I heard his little outraged cry, too.

"Bella, you _do_ accept me, then?" Emmett asked, while I refused to open my eyes until I was positive I was calm enough to handle the both of them.

I grabbed his hands and plucked them off mine, agreeing easily, "Sure. That, and the fact that you have some jewel shards." Emmett stared at me, staggered. I took a little too much pleasure from that fact. "There's two... oh, nope, looks like three," I added, glancing down at his shoulder.

Placing a hand over the spot where his jewel shards were hidden in his robe, Emmett smiled slightly and said, "You've got some sharp eyes."

Without taking my eyes of Emmett, I felt rather than heard Edward stomp furiously over to Emmett, and shouted, "Sit!"

He fell face-first onto the floor right beside us, his head popping up almost instantly as he growled at me, "Would you _stop with that_?!"

Emmett leaned down to make sure that Edward noticed him speaking and said calmly, "These are fragments that _I_ accumulated. Taking them will make you a thief."

"Thanks for spelling it out!" Edward snapped grumpily, standing. "Who are you to call _me_ a thief? I happen to remember a certain someone that tried to make off with Bella's shards!"

Emmett winked at me surreptitiously before saying in an overawed, sarcastic voice, "Hmm. You have such a sharp memory...!"

I closed my eyes again, wishing the both of them would just grow up.

* * *

**Lord's POV**

After my faithful servants had been away for several hours of spying on the group of strangers staying in my mansion, they returned with seemingly problematic news.

I gasped. "What?! That artist manipulated the demons?"

"Yes, my lord!" one of the men agreed. "I understand he possesses a piece of the Sacred Jewel."

I gaped at them. Why wouldn't they have told me such news sooner?

"He possesses a fragment of the jewel?" I repeated, flabbergasted. "I've heard rumors... One tiny piece can increase your power many-fold...! A jewel to treasure, indeed!"

"Shall we liberate it from the artist, my lord?" asked the other man.

I nodded slowly, thinking everything through. That artist was weak, so he couldn't have had much time to come up with any strong defenses... It should be easy enough to take his fragments...

"My lord," said the first man, breaking me from my thoughts, "it would seem that the monk also possesses one."

"Really?" I asked interestedly. That would make things only that much easier.

* * *

**Guard's POV**

Gesturing wildly that we should wait to count to three, my partner in this small crime hesitantly reached for the monk's door. It somehow didn't feel right doing this, especially after he had rescued the lady-to-be this very day, but orders were orders.

We threw open the door and charged in, stabbing the body in the bed with our swords until we were sure that the monk was dead.

Without warning, the hanging tapestry on the wall was ripped from its nails, and the monk was sitting there, glaring at us heatedly.

"When did you—?" my partner began spluttering, but the young, livid monk paid no mind.

"What is this about?" he snapped. "I have done nothing to warrant this violent and traitorous attack!" He smirked. "At least, not yet."

My partner bellowed, throwing his sword over his head. I followed his lead, charging at the virtually defenseless monk seated on the ground.

"Hand over the piece of the Sacred Jewel!"

With startling swiftness, the monk had brought up his brass staff and blocked our swords. In nearly the same movement, he'd connected the blunt end of his staff with my partner's face, causing him to cry out in pain and fall back. With an almost casual grace, the monk quickly scraped the sharp end of his staff across my own chest, sending me flying back into the wall with a shallow abrasion on my chest.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Since we were sharing a room, when Edward jumped up, I woke up almost immediately and realized something was wrong. A good thing, too. Edward didn't bother to wait for me before taking off out the door and down the hall outside, headed towards Emmett's room.

I took off after him, grateful that I had taken to sleeping in my school uniform in the Feudal Era.

"Emmett, what happened?!" Edward frantically shouted, throwing open Emmett's door. We both did a small recoil with shock.

Emmett was in his room, two guards of the castle leaning against him, backs to his chest, while Emmett was forcing his staff down hard on the guards' throats.

The two men tried to push and pull back against the staff, their faces going red with the exertion, but Emmett was too strong for them.

"They mentioned something about a fragment of the Sacred Jewel," Emmett said, more to remind himself, it would seem, than fill Edward and I in. When the two only continued to grunt and groan, straining against Emmett's stranglehold, Emmett jarred them a little and said, _"Start talking."_

"It isn't our fault!" one man cried out oblingingly. "Our lord demanded that we seize your jewel shard!"

"The master himself went to apprehend another shard from the artist!" the other swiftly added.

Emmett only pushed the staff further into their necks, seemingly without thinking about it. He leaned his head closer in anxiety.

"So, you know the whereabouts of this artist? Where is he? _Answer me!_" Almost before I realized what had happened, the two servants had explained to Emmett every last detail of the place where the artist had taken a house from one of the fishermen, and Emmett had knocked both men unconscious with the blunt end of his staff.

He sprinted outside, not even bothering to spare us a glance as he shouted over his shoulder, "Bella! I'm going to borrow your contraption for a bit!"

Throwing a leg almost hap-hazardly over my bike seat, he tore off, his knees practically in his face as he furiously pedaled, my bike too small for him.

"Wait!" I shouted after him, trying to run and catch up. How the hell were we supposed to go too when he was making off with my ride? "I'll come with you!"

Seth jumped onto my shoulder, finally having woken up. He seemed sleepy and disoriented, but definitely afraid of being left alone. So I ignored his presence on my shoulder, allowing his little claws to dig into the shallow skin there, trying to run after Emmett.

I felt a hand grab the back of my shirt at the nape of the neck and yank me backwards. I cried out in shock, only to be relieved when Edward threw me over his back in nearly the same movement. He never stopped running, shouting after Emmett, "Keep going! I'll catch up!

* * *

**Artists' POV**

By the time I had fully woken up and realized everything that was happening, the lord had already surround the area with at least a hundred soldiers. Who would need that many people just to take one jewel shard from a _human_?

Then again, they were smarter than I'd given them credit for. They must have finally figured out how truly powerful I was, to go to such extreme defenses.

The men were muttering to themselves as I peered out my window, the sounds of their conversations a low hum. The lord cut all this off with a grand sweep of his arm and a lazily confident cry of, "Go forth!"

The men pitched forward, bellowing out their war cries like a bunch of American Indians, and holding their weapons above their heads.

I laughed a little under my breath. With those loud cries, did they expect to take me by surprise? Did they honestly think that even with a jewel shard I wouldn't be able to defend myself against their masses? _Fools._

I had an infinite number of soldiers of my own. Should any be destroyed, they could be immediately replaced by yet hundreds more. All I had to do was paint more with the ink.

I grabbed up two different portraits, long, skinny ones that were absolutely full of demons of my creation. Jerking the parchment up then back down, I effectively snapped the paper, causing the demons to literally leap off the page.

"Come forth, my loyal demons of Hell!" I shouted.

The black cloud of ink that surrounded the demons swirled at the roof of my commandeered hut for a few more moments, before it grew too large for the small building to hold. It burst out of the windows, even breaking off my door. But that didn't matter.

The black cloud of ink demons descended upon the now-petrified soldiers and obscured them all from my view for a moment. When the cloud cleared away to move onto its next group of victims, I saw that the bodies of the soldiers on the ground were completely devoid of their blood. I shivered.

It was a merciless slaughter, but I felt no stirrings of pity or remorse for the soldiers dying in droves. They had come here, knowing full well of my power and capabilities. It was their own ignorant arrogance that did them in.

The lord, sitting atop his horse in complete and utter bewilderment while his few remaining soldiers retreated, screaming, shouted, "Wait! Halt!" His horse bucked, the whites of its eyes gleaming in the darkness, and he screamed, "Someone! Calm my horse!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

I'd seen some pretty grotesque things since my first arrival in the Feudal Era. I'd seen old battlefields, I'd seen fairly recent battlefields. I'd been on my own battlefield, too. But nothing had prepared me for the sight of this massacre.

There were bodies strewn everywhere, men's faces still frozen in screams of terror, their eyes bulging in fear and surprise. The demons coming out of the ink cloud hovering in the sky showed no mercy, and even went so far as to absorb the blood of their victims.

I felt rather than heard Edward's disgusted growl deep in his chest as he stopped beside the lord, his hand on the hilt of the Fang, ready to kill.

"Edward, think about this first," Seth advised nervously from my right shoulder. "If you slay them, the noxious smells will overcome you again."

Edward scoffed, drawing his sword anyway. "Shut up."

Without even bothering to set Seth or me on the ground, Edward leapt into the air, cutting the sword viciously at everything and nothing. It didn't even look like he was aiming—not that that was a problem. There were so many monsters around us that without looking he could probably swing and kill two or three.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the spurt of blood coming from the demons as he sliced them, and pushed my face into the middle of Edward's shoulder blades.

When Edward landed on the ground and I felt that his sword arm was lowered by his side, I looked up. He'd dropped right in front of the lord, who seemed to have finally gotten his horse under control. Edward kept his back to the lord and his eyes on the demons, completely ignoring the man when he said, "You saved me! You shall be rewarded!"

One of the demons (one of the _dumber_ demons, it would seem) launched itself right at one of its companions, and ended up with its arm sliced off. The black blood fell around us on the ground like a waterfall, and I rested the urge to throw up. Even I could smell the strong scent of ink coming from the liquid—like a thousand Sharpies. But instead of inducing a drug-like state, it just gave me the beginnings of a headache.

The lord screamed and ran away on his horse.

"Eww!" I squealed, copying Seth and holding my nose tightly. "This ink smells awful!"

"Edward?" Seth asked tentatively, almost expectantly.

Without warning, Edward just sort of fell to the ground in a heap. Only this time, he didn't act too strange. He didn't giggle or try to make Christmas angels in the ink. He was just passed out. _Wonderful!_

Seth, landing beside me on top of Edward, grumbled, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

There was a loud screeching sound, like the wheezing of a extremely large monster, and I cried out when I glanced up because that was exactly what was staring right back at me.

With Edward still down for the count and me without a bow and arrow, I was royally screwed. I looked around wildly for anything that might help me defend myself—for God's sake, a _stick_ would've seemed beautiful to me in that moment.

Then, so fast he was nearly a blur like Edward, Emmett was standing in front of us, having already slain the demon with the sharp end of his staff. He stood with his knees slightly bent, his posture expentant and waiting, protective in front of us.

I felt Edward stir under me and moved to get off of his back, while he sat up onto his knees, holding his head in his hand.

"Emmett saved us!" I cheered, smiling at Emmett's back gratefully. Unfortunately, none of us missed the dirty look Edward shot me for saying that. _Couldn't he get over his insecurities for FIVE MINUTES?_

Without turning back to look at us, Emmett drove his staff deep into the saturated dirt so that it stood up without his help. He removed the beads from his right hand, but didn't open his fist as he shouted, "Stay behind me, friends. This is dangerous."

I distinctly heard Edward give a little scoff. I could practically hear him rolling his eyes. But I was more preoccupied with the chance to see the Wind Tunnel one more time—from a safe angle, of course.

Emmett opened his fist and thrust his arm out at the demons, the vortex of winds immediately pulling all the ink demons in sight towards him. However, even though they swung their weapons towards the monk viciously, none made contact before they were absorbed completely into his hand.

From the hut, it seemed Edward and I both heard the artists' terrified cry of, "What is this?! My demons are being sucked in?!"

Without warning, Emmett suddenly halted the flood of demons into his hand. They were all gone. Emmett closed his fist, clutching it and groaning through clenched teeth as though in pain. He struggled for a moment, trying not to show us (chiefly Edward, I'd be willing to bet) any sign of weakness, but he eventually fell to his knees, his head bowed in pain.

"Emmett?" I said hastily, worried.

"I've never before drawn in so many demons at once," Emmett spat, as though admitting a weakness he'd rather forget he had. His head ducked even lower, and I heard the rattle of his prayer beads as he wrapped them back around his hand. "If I might just rest for a bit..."

"Aw, great," I heard Edward mumble. "To be rescued by _this_ loser..."

I was about to turn around and smack the hell out of him, right before 'sitting' him, to teach him some manners. But then there was a loud rumble, and the earth even started shaking a bit. I glanced around at the others to make sure I wasn't the only one feeling it and—besides Emmett, who seemed to be unconscious or resting his eyes obliviously—everyone was looking around wide-eyed.

I stood up to get a better look at the hut whose walls were now quivering, only to jump back with a strangled yelp of surprise. The entire hut seemed to explode from the inside, but only because a new ink demon had been created by the psychotic artist inside. It was enormous—it had to be twice the size of the Loch Ness Monster. Shaped like an enormous snake with three heads, it loomed over us like a fifty-story building.

As it wriggled about on the ground as though learning to sliver like a snake, Edward didn't waste a minute before yanking me out of harm's way (his arm almost painfully tight around my waist) and then dropping Seth and I unceremoniously on the ground.

"He must've made another demon," I said out loud, standing back up while the others crouched on the ground, too stunned to do much else but stare at the strange demon.

"I'll get him," Edward said, almost bored, and took off running. As soon as he was free of our group, the three heads of the snake swiveled around, and it became clear that the artist was seated on the middle one, looking down at us most triumphantly.

The demons heads charged at us, jaws gaping, but when we ducked to the ground they didn't try to snap us up; they just kept going. Were they _playing_ with us?

"Bella!"

The sound of Edward's voice snapped me out of my musing. I glanced over to see him jumping over the heads as they charged clumsily for him again.

"Can you tell me where the fragment of the jewel is?"

I nodded and quickly scanned the demon for any signs of a glowing jewel piece. I could feel that familiar mental tug upwards, and followed the feeling, my gaze dragging along the snake's body until I reached the artist seated on the middle head.

"There!" I shouted, pointing. "In his ink well—hanging off his waist!"

"Got it!"

He ran back a few steps as though he were going to chase after the monster, and then merely jumped onto its back. While he sat there, he seemed to remember something and shouted, "Oh, right! I almost forgot to tell you! Hey, Emmett, if you're trying to impress someone you might better try it _standing_!"

I groaned and buried my face in my hands, but, sitting up beside me, Emmett actually _laughed_. And I might have been mistaken, but I thought I saw Edward grin slightly before turning back to the artist.

I glanced at Seth, who was as dumbfounded as I was. Was this their form of _bonding_? I shook my head, sighing. _Men..._

"Stubborn punk!" the artist growled, fumbling in his shirt pockets for more paper, it would seem. He withdrew a piece of parchment and snapped the paper, causing several more demons to leap off the page. They didn't look too tough, but how could Edward fight them earnestly if he had to hang on to the snake with one of his hands?

As though he neither noticed nor cared about this fact, Edward taunted, "Isn't that little trick of yours getting _old_?"

He sat up on his legs and literally _ran_ up the side of the snake. When he reached the other demons, who were about his own size if not a little burlier, I was waiting for him to draw the Fang and just hack them out of his way.

Instead, taking us all by surprise, Edward seemed to want to vent his feelings. He fist-fought each and everything demon, literally punching their lights out. Even though those demons were much, much more muscular than Edward's slight build, Edward easily overtook them all.

I blushed when Emmett, awed, asked, "What do you call that technique he's using?"

I ducked my head, feeling like my face was on fire. "It's called 'whaling on them,'" I said flatly. _Leave it to you, Edward..._

Rolling my eyes, I focused back on our savior in red who just happened to be a little more violent than usual. _Show off._ He crouched back down to the snake's body, digging his nails in to keep a hold on it. The snake didn't even seem to notice the pain.

"What?" Edward shouted up at the artist, who had yet to create more demons for Edward. "Giving up? Hand over the jewels before I really get mad!"

All three heads of the demon turned around simultaneously, and opened their mouths as though they were going to rip him apart. Instead, a faint glow started from the back of their throats, becoming huge, red-hot flames that completely covered Edward. I knew that with his weird clothes he should be ok from the fire, but I was still a little worried. How could I not be?

"You underestimate me!" the artist shot back, while Edward was momentarily obscured from all view by the fire. "My flames of Hell shall burn you to the bone."

Still flaming and burning, I saw Edward sit up on the demon. Even though he looked like a moving fireball, he shouted confidently, "This is your last chance to surrender!"

The artist glanced behind his shoulder, screaming in surprise and fear as Edward stood up and ran at him again, this time drawing the Fang. The flames that had licked around his body were put out by the sword, and Edward picked up speed, lifting the sword over his head.

"Maybe one day I'll die at the hands of someone stronger than me, but it sure as hell ain't gonna be _you_!"

"Get away from me!" the artist shrieked, his voice becoming shrill with fear as he clutched the snake's head for dear life. "I'll not let you have it! I'll finally have happiness with this piece of the jewel!"

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

Taking us all by surprise, the artist took a flying leap right off the demon's head. The ground had to be twenty feet below him. Who'd risk a broken leg or neck when he could have just handed over a piece of a jewel?

"It's over!" Edward shouted, jumping after him. With two clean slices of his sword, Edward had cut the ink well off the man's waist and then hacked it in half. Unharmed, the artist fell to the ground and scrambled away.

The enormous snake demon thing disintegrated into ink, and all the ink from the well along with the snake fell to the ground, saturating it like rain.

The artist leapt to his feet, screaming shrilly, "My ink! My ink has all been spilled!"

He glanced around wildly, probably looking for something to fend off Edward, who had just landed on the ground several feet away from him. He needn't have bothered. Now that the ink well was destroyed, Edward looked like he couldn't care less about the artist.

However, it didn't look like the frightened little man realized that. He picked up the sword of a slaughtered soldier collapsed nearby and drove it into his own arm. I flinched, unable to cover my eyes or stop looking as the blood poured from his wound.

Groaning through his teeth, he pulled the sword back out of his forearm and cried, "Here me, ink! I give you my blood!" He stretched out his arm eagerly, a crazed smile lighting his features. _Maybe Edward should've killed him..._ "Drink well, and fill yourself. Come to life. Feast on my lifeblood!"

Edward seemed like he was about to go tell the idiot that the ink was gone and he'd cut himself open for nothing, when all the inkdroplets on the ground suddenly shot into the air, aimed right for the artist.

"That fool!" Edward muttered, cursing under his breath.

The ink swirled around the artist, who looked high from his own triumph. "I will not let it go..." he cried. "No one shall have my ink!"

He stood there for several moments, allowing the ink to swirl and swivel around him, drinking his blood from its wound. He cackled a laugh as though this were pleasing to him.

After several minutes, his eyes suddenly bulged in shock and a little fear, and he glanced at his body. I gasped, nearly crying out loud. His whole body was slowly draining. Literally, his cheeks and eyes sunk in towards his head, and his arms and fingers clutched the skin of themselves to his bones. It was disgusting and horrifying to watch, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.

"My blood is being devoured by the ink," the artist shrieked, sounding more surprised than I thought he had any right to be. Crazy and pitiful as he was, what did he really think was going to happen?

He began screaming, "Help me!" over and over again, while his skin became paler and thinner. Edward's jaw dropped in mute horror as he stared at the man, his right hand outstretched as though he wanted to help him, but couldn't make himself move.

Before long, he was completely absorbed by the ink, and it all collapsed in a puddle to the ground, nothing left of the man. I wanted to feel sorry for him, but I couldn't quite manage it. Everything that had happened to him was his own fault... but still rather sad.

Seth, Bella and I ran over to Edward, who was still staring at the ink with a look of pure horror on his face. I wondered vaguely if that was the first time he had seen a weak human die.

"That fool!" he finally hissed, his voice low and hoarse. "The ink _devoured_ him..."

"What a terrible way to go..." Bella murmured, unable to stop myself from recoiling from the ink.

"You're telling me," Edward agreed, turning away from the ink so that his body was angled in her direction—but, like the rest of us, he couldn't tear his eyes from the spot the man where the man had just been standing. How could ink devour a person, jewel shard or not?

"The artist's ambitions must have turned the ink into a parasite," Edward surmised. "...He let his own blood be sucked up before he'd part with the jewel... He went mad because of it... He paid for it with his life."

I stared down at the jewel, now glowing from the ink, and barely stopped myself from growling in disappointment and frustration. The jewel I'd worked so hard to get to was tainted with evil. I couldn't even risk touching it without becoming possessed by its malevolence.

I about screamed at Bella as she bent down and scooped up the jewel piece, holding it between her forefinger and thumb. Was she a complete moron? Could she not sense its evil aura?

I glanced at the jewel again, now held tightly between her fingers. _Unbelievable!_

The evil aura was complete gone—just her touch had purified it! Once again, I found myself wondering just what this girl was. How could she look like an ordinary woman, yet possess the powers of a priestess...?

"So," she said lightly, snapping me out of my thoughts, "who's gonna hold on to this one?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Edward snapped in disbelief. "It's obviously mine."

"Well, Emmett did save us," she reminded him complacently. He glared at her balefully, but even a near stranger like I was could tell that he was far too smitten to think of harming her.

I smirked at their childish antics and suggested, "Why don't you keep it, Bella?"

They both stared at me like I'd grown another head. Then Bella positively beamed at me. "Done and done!" she agreed cheerfully, shooting Edward a triumphant, smug look.

Seth jumped on Edward's head and chimed in, "Good thing _someone's_ grown-up."

Edward _hmph_-ed and turned away, as did I. I shook my head, unable to wrap my head around the idea. It was purely astounding. She purified a tainted jewel fragment—even the smallest of which were known to have incredible manipulative powers—without even seeming to realize she had. Just by picking it up!

* * *

**Seth's POV**

At dawn, Edward decided we'd lingered in one village for too long. He was stir crazy again, and itched to get back on the road.

I thought Bella would nearly start dancing for joy when Emmett asked if he could join us.

"Really, Emmett?" she gasped eagerly. "You'll come with us?"

"Gladly," the monk returned, smirking. He winked and gestured with his head towards Edward before adding, "Journeying in the company of such a beautiful woman is so much more enjoyable."

Up ahead of all of us, Edward scowled. Bella giggled at their antics.

"And, despite his looks and behavior, Edward seems to be quite a nice fellow," Emmett added considerately, albeit sincerely. Edward eyed him over his shoulder suspiciously.

"Uh-huh," Bella agreed, chipper and—if I were being totally honest—proud. "By simply killing the artist, Edward could have ended everything so much quicker last night. But instead, he tried to only destroy the ink." She smiled a little, biting her lip. She leaned to one side, closer to Emmett, and whispered conspiratorially (knowing full well that Edward could hear her), "Underneath it all, he's a very nice, sweet guy. He just doesn't know it yet."

For some reason, that declaration made it sound like she were personally going to make sure Edward saw this other side of himself, even if she had to create the image _for_ him.

Emmett laughed at that, and, despite his fake scowl, I could distinctly see Edward blush up ahead. That alone had me in tears of laughter.

Big, bad, half-breed Edward—embarrassed by the half-compliment of a human girl?

* * *

**So there ya go! Hope that made up for the wait. Next time's is going to be so long you won't know what to do with it. Three chappies in one! (I wanted to wrap that one up soon, as you can see.)**

**Anyway, next time (Bella's POV): **It's been quite some time since Edward took possession of the Great Fang, the sword forged from his father's fang. I thought he'd learned all there was to know about the sword, but apparently not. One day, he recalls the words of his brother, Peter, who told him the Fang's secret is that it has the power to slay one hundred in a single stroke! Peter reappears, even more powerful than before! Next time: "James and Peter Join Forces!"

**Don't forget to review!**


	17. Peter and James Join Forces

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Aaaaand this is where some of you will start to hate me. Don't ask why before you read, just go. I'm expecting to get some hate reviews after this, especially from those who hated _New Moon_ as much as I did. **

**Ok. I don't want to give away anymore hints, so let's just get on with it. This is another long one, two regulars combined again, and towards the end it shows both the developing relationship between Edward and Bella through the perspective of an outsider, and the risks of that relationship. **

**Chapter Summary: **Basically, what the title says. Peter and the "evil James" join forces. And what do you think the first thing Peter's going to do after he gets this new power? Attack Edward. Duh, he's ego's still wounded, remember? ;D Anyway, in the ensuing battle, Edward learns that he's not exactly wielding his Fang correctly, and seeks to correct that problem. Anyway, the battle gets super violent and Edward begins to realize just how dangerous his time is—especially for a certain klutz.

**FYI:** Just in case of dumb questions in my reviews: NO, Emmett is NOT injected with vampire venom in this chapter. He absorbs too many poisonous insects with his Wind Tunnel and obviously becomes poisoned.

* * *

_The walls start breathing, my mind's unweaving  
Maybe it's best you leave me alone  
A weight is lifting on this evening  
I give the final blow_

_When darkness turns to light  
It ends tonight, it ends tonight  
Just a little insight won't make this right  
It's too late to fight  
It ends tonight, it ends tonight_

"It Ends Tonight," The All-American Rejects

* * *

SO FAR: _"Die, Edward!" -- In order to become a full vampire, the half-breed Edward had been searching for the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls. But someone tricked Edward and Tanya, setting them up for betrayal, and a grudge that would burn into eternity. -- "Why did you betray me, Edward?!" -- The monster behind this cruel scheme was_ James_. -- "If we keep looking for these jewel pieces, we're sure to run into James ourselves sooner or later." -- "I will hunt down Tanya's killer and avenge her death!"_

* * *

Peter and James Join Forces

**Jenkins' POV**

Not too far in the distance from where Milord and I stood, I heard the loud whinnying of a horse being pushed ever-closer towards the edge of its endurance. Lord Peter, gazing off across the cliff we stood at, was as impassive as ever, and didn't even seem to notice. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a whole troop of thieves and brigands riding down the road towards us. Milord wouldn't allow them to hurt him, but me I wasn't so sure about. I ran and ducked behind a nearby bush, waiting to see what my lord would do.

"We got a good haul today, Chief!" one of the men cried out exuberantly. "Look at these vegetables!"

The one he addressed as "chief" laughed and agreed, "For a puny village, they sure had a hoard!"

"Let's hurry, Chief," said another apprehensively. The so-called Chief looked at him angrily, silently demanding to know why the subordinate thought he could suggest instructions to his leader. I received that look daily from Lord Peter and knew it well. "Monsters are supposed to appear around here after dark."

"What kind of outlaws are you?" the Chief shot back. "Running from little _goblins_?"

"Chief, look!"

They had spotted Lord Peter, who still stood carelessly, if not obliviously, at the precipice of the cliff, his back to the horde of humans.

"That's a mere human!" said the Chief eagerly.

"Interesting armor he's got," another interjected.

The Chief nodded with a grin and shouted, "Kill 'im and stip 'im!"

They threw their weapons over their heads with loud war-cries, and I fought the mad urge to laugh. Did they really think they could kill even a human, making such a rucus to announce their presence?

Milord seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Smirking to himself, he let his new left demon arm lower into the humans' views, but they were oblivious. I shook my head, my chest shaking with silent laughter. The fools! That was the only chance Lord Peter would give them to save their own skins!

Lord Peter turned around fully, raising the new arm over his right shoulder, preparing to strike them down. Finally the humans saw the scaled demon arm on my lord, and his glowing red eyes. They foolishly tried to draw up the reigns of their horses, now crying out in shock and fear, but it was too late. With a few well-aimed slashes from my lord, they were all dead.

When Lord Peter landed on the ground gracefully, looking at the bodies of his fallen opponents, I threw myself out from my hiding place, still chuckling at the humans' stupidity, and said, "Astounding once again, milord! You make such quick work of them."

Lord Peter held up his new left arm and peered at it keenly, as though examining it was crucial.

"I must say, slaying that blue monster and taking its arm was a splendid idea!" I interjected, thinking that milord was looking for a compliment.

"Are you blind, Jenkins?" he said in his usual cold, aloof voice, flexing the fingers of his new arm. Without a wince or batted eyelash, he tore the arm off his shoulder and threw it to the ground. I cried out in shock—and, if I was being honest with myself, disgust—and jumped backwards, away from the plundered arm.

"That arm has already been rendered useless."

"Oh, dear," I mumbled, looking down at the enormous blue arm that's palm was the length of my entire body. "That didn't last very long."

Carefully stepping around the amputated arm's fingers, I was suddenly grabbed up in the palm and held there so tightly I could barely breathe. That was what I hated about most monsters: their body parts could still live on for several minutes, even hours, after the detaching from the rest of the body. How it was possible, I didn't know, but I was absolutely sure that the special ability was lost on smaller, lesser demons like myself.

I screamed and tried to hit the hand with my staff, attempting to knock myself free, but it held fast.

Milord, seemingly oblivious to all this, just said, "Find me a demon with a more suitable arm. Know that if you don't, I shall kill you."

I froze, staring at his retreating back in absolute horror. _And he'd do it, too! _

I started banging on the hand with renewed vigor, shouting, "Release me at once!"

Eventually I pried myself free and, out of pure spite, kicked the arm away from me as hard as I could. Panting and glaring at it, I couldn't help but remember what my family's reaction to my current position as a vassal had been the last time I had seen any of them, about fifty years ago.

I sighed. _Mother was right. I should have been a ferryman. _

And it was entirely that Edward's fault for cutting off Lord Peter's arm! It wasn't the sword that severed the arm, it was the half-breed that wielded it! By all rights, that sword should be in Lord Peter's possession. We would take it back from the half-breed without fail!

Shaking with suppressed rage, I barely noticed when Lord Peter glanced down at the rotting plundered arm and mused, "Even if I find another arm, it, too, shall be useless after a time."

"A vexing problem, isn't it?"

I jumped, whirling around to seek out the source of the unknown voice. Lord Peter, needless to say, didn't react at all except to shift his eyes from the demon arm to the bush slightly down the path. The very one I had hid in not five minutes ago.

The voice, rather deep and suggesting of something sinister, belonged to what was clearly a human dressed in a baboon costume. The body of the costume was white fur, and roughly sewn like that of a blanket—it served no purpose other than to hide the wearer's true visage. The mask was also of white fur, but had the demented, evil face of a monster primate carved out of it, teeth showing.

The whole ensemble was creepy enough, but coupled with that insidious voice, it was too much. I let out a little gasp and cry, and ran to hide behind my lord's legs. He tolerated this move without comment.

"If I may be so bold, you are Edward's elder brother, Peter, are you not?" the disguised man conitnued airily, as though this sort of conversation happened for him on a regular basis.

"Who are you?" Milord asked composedly, if not disinterestedly. I was sure the mention of Edward had put him off.

The man hesitated before answering, with a smile in the voice, "I am someone like yourself, who despises Edward. It was rude of me, but I overheard you talking. May I suggest that you employ _this_ arm?"

Bowing his head slightly in sarcastic humility, he held up with both hands the left arm of the Chief human brigand Lord Peter had just slaughtered. I blinked. Was I missing something? Hadn't Lord Peter's easy slaughter proven how weak humans were? Why on earth would he want a _human arm_?

"Have you lost your mind?" I snapped. "That's a mere human arm!"

"Precisely," said the strange creature, bowing his head even more. If I wasn't mistaken, the sound of his smile grew even wider. "However, it is not _just _a human arm. It has a small piece of the Sacred Jewel imbedded in it. Should you choose to employ this arm, the jewel shard would enable you to wield the Great Fang, Edward's fabled sword. The Great Fang is known as the Protector of Humans. Presently, a demon such as yourself cannot even touch the Fang."

"Hmph," Peter scoffed, lowering his eyes pensively for the most fleeting of moments before he raised the topic I knew he was most interested in discussing. "You mentioned that you hate Edward. Tell me. Do you intend to use me to kill him?"

"Exactly."

"How dare you—!" I shrieked furiously. How blatantly he admitted to wanting to use my lord as a pawn!

"Interesting," said Peter, completely cutting me off. "I shall take the arm."

"Lord Peter!" I cried, scandalized. How could he let himself become a tool for this coward?

"Oh, one more thing..." the filthy baboon-covered fraud murmured, sounding far too smug for my liking. He extended a pale hand from under the robe of his disguise, cupped around what looked like a small, round, bee hive. "Take this hive. I assure you it will come in very handy."

Peter carelessly accepted the hive as well, and then, staring blandly at the hive in his palm, said coolly, "I should know the name of one I make a pact with."

The coward-man hesitated for the briefest of instants before raising his head slightly, to reveal a human mouth under the jaw of the baboon mask. "My apologies," he said slyly, not sounding repentant at all—more like regretful. "It is James."

"James? I shall remember it."

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

As I completed my rounds around the porch of the inn I had selected to stay in for the night with the inn's owner, I couldn't help but smirk when I saw, through the corner of my eye, that Edward was leaning against the wall of our free-for-the-night room, looking highly put out.

Bella stretched luxuriously, sighing, "This is _so_ much better than sleeping out in the woods." She picked up her fork and poised it over her meal, ready to dig in. "We'll have a hot meal, and sleep under a roof! Heaven!"

Edward shot her a rather nasty look and said sarcastically, "Well, _excuse me_ for making you sleep outside so often."

Bella lowered her fork and focused on him more carefully, as though she'd just been commanded to memorize his face. "Touchy, _touchy_!" she murmured, her eyes suspicious. "You get huffy at the littlest things lately. What's with you these days?"

Seth smirked from behind the safety of his table at Edward and said, "Hate the fact that it was Emmett who got us shelter here, huh?" Edward's glare turned vicious, and I had to stifle a laugh before the owner. Monks of my stature were supposed to be stately and composed. "With food and bedding like this, who _cares_ whose idea it was?" Seth continued, and Bella eagerly nodded her agreement while Edward quietly growled under his breath.

I prayed over my rosary one last time for the welfare of the household, blessing it at the same time, and sighed, saying, "That should suffice." I turned away from the darkening sky towards the small old man who owned the inn, and almost felt guilty for using him so badly. But then, it was only for the night and my friends and I needed to keep as much money as we could. "Now the ominous black cloud that hovers over your inn should disappear for good."

"I am forever in your debt, young monk!" the old man cried, his voice wheezing and breezy with old age. "My goodness! When you came so suddenly and told me there were evil clouds overhead, I almost jumped out of my skin in fear!" He laughed good-naturedly, as though this were a normal occurrence.

"But now that you have exorcised this place, I can put my fears to rest."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep a calm face and not look like the guilty cad Edward would make me out to be. _You really did bless this place! God willing, it will be protected!_

I smiled as though quite pleased with his exuberance and said, "Just part of a monk's duty."

After parting with the old man, as I was walking towards our new room I still heard Seth and Bella singing praises of real food and lodgings, while I could only assume Edward sulked somewhere near.

When I walked inside, their plates were not only completely devoid of food, but their cups were empty and even the baskets holding the leftovers at the middle of the table were empty. _Thanks for saving me some, jerks!!!_

"That was so good! I can't eat another bite!" Seth declared happily, leaning back on his hands. I shot him a glare he couldn't see. Too late for that now, thanks!

"That was the best I've eaten in a long time!" Bella agreed. She looked away, probably sensing my presence, and said cheerfully, "Hey! How'd the exorcism go?"

"Uneventful," I said honestly, sighing contentedly as I dropped down to my seat. "Now I'm ready for some relaxation."

"Hey, Emmett..." Edward mused, sounding pensive—which was certainly the first time I'd heard him sound like he had a working brain. "There's something that still bothers me."

I looked at him warily, already ill at ease with his tone. "Yes?" I said cautiously.

"Whenever we're looking for a place to sleep, you suddenly see a black cloud hanging over the finest mansion in the area. How does that happen, I wonder?"

"Oh, you noticed that, did you?" I said, smiling happily. At least I didn't have to keep up pretenses for them. I waved an airy hand to dismiss him and laughed, "Well, you know the saying: 'Sometimes a lie is the most expedient path.'"

"What?!"

"Lie? You mean there never was any black cloud?!"

Glancing around at them all, I grimly noticed that only Bella looked completely unsurprised. Well, she wasn't an idiot. Actually, I'd thought they'd all figured it out ages ago.

"You're shiftier than I thought!" Edward said, still sounding shocked.

I rolled my eyes and picked up the basket closest to me, extending it out to him. "Biscuit?"

"YEAH!" said Seth, popping out of nowhere and stealing the whole basket out from my hand.

While he happily munched away on yet _more_ food, Edward snapped, "You're just as bad as he is!"

"Calm down," Bella said, sitting up on her legs and looking rather bored.

All of a sudden, the whole earth started shaking. The walls around us began to drop dust clots and such debris collected over the years, and the tree shook outside.

"W-What's that?" Bella whispered when the ground shook again, as though she were afraid to break the silence and be found by whatever was booming across the ground.

Another great shake of the earth and Seth was in Bella's arms, clutching at her shirt and neck for dear life, shrieking shrilly, "It's coming this way!"

Edward stood up beside me, glancing out the open door towards the patio and the fields and mountains beyond, and I followed suit. The shakes of the ground caused the candles in the candlesticks to topple over, blowing themselves out. Surrounded by a smoky darkness except for the light of the moon outside, the shakes seemed even louder and closer, and picking up speed as they neared.

"Whatever it is, it's big," said Edward, almost carelessly.

"Yes," I agreed slowly, and then, nodding, came to my conclusion. "Let's run."

Edward gave a little start of surprise and then whirled around to glare at me. "What? No way! You can't just eat and run!"

I stared at him calmly, trying to be patient enough to teach him this little logic. "If the monster is truly big, then we are no match for it. It's irrational—It's impossible—It's against my religion."

Edward shook his head as though he were disappointed. "You oughta be arrested."

Bella gave a little gasp, and we both turned to see her, holding herself stock-still, as though she feared if she moved she'd lose whatever train of thought she'd found. Her eyes were far away.

"I'm sensing a jewel fragment nearby," she said softly, almost mechanically. With an almost visible shake of her body, she brought herself fully back into the room, her eyes rather frightened. "And it's approaching very quickly!"

Edward smirked as though quite pleased with this turn of events, and glanced out the open door again as the booms caused the frame of the door to topple at the corner.

"Oh, well, that's a change," he said smugly, "we've never had _them_ bring _us_ the jewels before."

The doorframe was about to collapse entirely, and whoever was on this side of it would be trapped inside for some time. That wouldn't be me.

"Well, I suppose if there's a jewel shard involved, I can make the sacrifice!" I said, and darted out the door before it could crash down completely.

Yet again, however, I underestimated the strength and speed of a vampire—even a halfling, as I knew Edward to be. Even Bella and Seth made it out of the building quick enough to follow me.

As we ran far away from the old man's inn, I nearly tripped and fell on my face in shock and terror when I saw an absolutely enormous demon rounding the mountain in front of us. It was half as tall as the mountain, with the body type of a slim but muscular man. However, it was all monster as it let out an ear-piercing screech that sent the heart pounding and the head aching.

And sitting right on its shoulder, calm as you please, was yet another demon—one that looked entirely human this time. Pitch black hair, light green eyes, sitting Indian-style on the shoulder of a gigantic demon tormenting a helpless village of humans.

"Peter!" Edward growled from beside me, sinking down into a battle-ready crouch. Peter? He knew one of these demons?

The black-haired man-looking demon on the shoulder slowly stood up, and jumped off the body part to the ground some fifty feet below—his face never wavering, as though this were merely a step down.

Just before he reached the ground, he held up his right hand, which began to glow green with poisonous liquids, and put on an extra burst of speed. He was on the ground and standing not two feet away from me, in Edward's face, before I even had time to process what had happened. I felt the blood drain from my face as realization hit my like a brick wall. _A vampire!_

The green gas from the vampire's indirect assault via the ground billowed around us, and we all fled, Seth screaming, for the nearby boulders to seek protection. Edward stopped just in front of them, his back to us protectively, facing off this demon that he sought to be like. One of his own kind.

Despite the fear I felt welling up inside me, I couldn't deny my fascination. Almost no mortals on the planet had seen a real, full vampire and lived to tell the tale. How did they interact with others of their kind? How did they fight, if each opponent had such assets as theirs?

I sighed, slightly disappointed. I supposed I would never know. Edward was a half-breed, whether we saw that as a bad thing or not. This Peter character would be prejudiced against him for being half-human, and would thus treat him differently than how he would treat another of his kind.

"Slow as usual, Edward."

When the smoke cleared and Edward had coughed out the offending gases, he said sarcastically, with a bravery I could only hope he truly felt, "Peter. To what _honor_ do we owe this visit?"

"Spare me the feigned innocence," said the one called Peter, and his deadly calm voice almost carried the hint of aggravation. "I'm here for the Great Fang, of course."

Edward sank into a graceful crouch again, this time, his right hand clasped tightly around the hilt of his sword. "Still haven't given up on it yet, huh?"

So these two had a history of fighting over this sword, and it appeared the dark one had lost to Edward.

"They know one another?" I hissed to Bella for confirmation, as we peeped over our hiding place-boulders to watch the verbal fight.

"That's Edward's older brother," she whispered back, not removing her eyes from the scene, even after I knew my eyes nearly popped out their sockets and my jaw hit the ground.

"_Brother_?"

She nodded, still refusing to look at me. "But he isn't a half-breed like Edward. This one's the real thing." She paused, and her voice took on a musing quality. "So he's still after the Fang... But he couldn't make the sword work for him last time. Actually, he couldn't even lift it!" She gasped. "He shouldn't be able to touch it even now. Why would that have changed?"

"Draw your sword, Edward. Or will you surrender it quietly, without the need for a humiliating defeat?"

Edward smirked. I could only hope he was strong enough to back up that confidence. "No chance," he shot back defiantly. "This time, I'll cut off more than just your arm."

Peter's expression didn't change as Edward charged at him. When Edward brought the sword down from over his head, the sword clanged loudly against the rocky ground beneath us, in the spot where Peter had been not moments before—Peter, who now stood two steps to the left, beside Edward.

I blinked, trying to wake myself up enough to watch this. A real vampire in battle. Who could claim to have seen such a thing in their lifetime? Besides, I hadn't even seen him move just then!

Edward, registering what had happened just a moment before I had, hacked the sword to the left, but Peter was still faster. He jumped up and landed a few feet away, just in front of Edward, so fast that all I could really see was a blur of white, which was the predominate color of Peter's clothes and skin.

Edward, growling slightly under his breath, ran the few steps foward and slashed the sword once more, but yet again Peter prevailed. He now appeared behind Edward, looking at him with that unnerving emotionless expression that hadn't wavered throughout the entire assult thus far.

"What a pity," Peter said, though he didn't look sorry at all. "You have yet to unleash the full power of the Fang."

"We'll see about that!"

He made to do a downward cut again, right to Peter's head, but Peter, with that dead look on his face, caught Edward's hand mid-swing and held it there, digging his nails into the flesh of Edward's wrist, the sword held aloft in between then by Edward's failing grip.

I gripped the boulder in front of me tightly, resisting the urge to aid Edward. He may be a rude, arrogant fool most of the time, but he didn't deserve to be losing this battle alone. No one could face a full vampire by themselves and live, unless they possessed incredible power. And that, unfortunately, wasn't me. On that particular battlefield, I would be more a liability than an asset.

"Such pitiful swordsmanship," Peter sneered, refusing to release his grip on Edward or halt his nails from piercing his half-brother's own skin. "The _little man_ is having trouble holding so large a sword."

Edward let out a strangled cry, and I glanced at his wrist again, only to cry out in alarm and terror.

"The flesh is rotting from his wrist!"

"It's his poisonous nails!" said Bella frantically.

Neither of the vampires glanced in our direction, though I was sure they could both hear us perfectly well.

"Your hand or the sword?" Peter jeered. "Which will be first to drop?"

Edward groaned slightly between his teeth, like he was afraid of showing weakness even in such pain, and raised the other hand to grip the Fang's hilt as well.

"Well, it ain't gonna be the sword!"

He grabbed the sword up and snatched his arm free of Peter, pushing the full vampire back.

"He overpowered him!" I said, shocked, while Bella let out a cry somewhere between relief and pride.

"I'll slit you in half!" Edward promised, pushing the sword foward into Peter's side, who continued to rush backwards to avoid the blade.

"You should have surrendered."

Peter lunged foward so suddenly that I could barely follow what was happening, pushing Edward away from him and then leaping backwards several paces, seeming eager to put some distance between the two of them. Only then did his right hand glow green with his poisonous nails again, and something very similar to a whip sprung from the nail of his pointer finger.

He lashed it at Edward with such speed that our friend barely had time to bring up his sword to deflect it. When Peter immediately brought the whip back down on him, Edward was caught by surprise at the swiftness of the movement, and his sword was struck out of his hands and went flying through the air until it landed blade-first into the ground, transforming back into a worthless old blade.

Edward, seeing where the blade had gone almost as soon as it happened, ran like a red bullet towards the blade—but Peter proved to be faster yet again. He had already somehow appeared right beside the sword, his left arm reaching out for the hilt, Edward frozen in shock some twenty feet away.

Bella, too, had turned to ice beside me, and I wondered what I was missing. Sure, it was rather alarming that Peter had gotten the sword away from Edward, but did they really expect anything else with the speed of that vampire?

Peter wrapped his hand around the hilt of the sword, everything seeming to go in slow motion all of a sudden, and Edward hissed, "Impossible!"

"But he shouldn't be able to even _touch_ the sword!" Bella nearly shrieked at my side, about to chew her bottom lip off in distress.

Peter, yanking the sword out of the ground and swinging it around his body to gain momentum in one fell swoop, created something akin to a burst of lightning—a burst that was aimed straight for Edward, who just barely jumped out of the way.

When the light dimmed enough that I was able to uncover my eyes and see what had happened, I felt my jaw drop for what must have been the millionth time that evening. Following the path the lightning had just taken in between Edward and Peter, was now what looked like a three-foot ravine. The power of that single strike had done _that_?

"But you're a demon!" Edward said, sounding completely stunned. "How are you able to hold the Fang?"

"I'm the Fang's rightful owner," said Peter calmly, raising the sword so that it stuck out horizontally, a physical extension of his own left arm. "Stand back as I demonstrate it's _true_ power." He turned away, back to the enormous demon he'd rode in on. "Jenkins!"

A small green imp-like creature of a demon that I hadn't noticed before, sitting on the same shoulder of the gigantic monster as Peter had been, shrieked eagerly, "Yes, my lord! I shall summon all the demons down from the mountain! _Go forth!_"

The enormous monster he rode on walked over to the mountain that looked like a mere older brother of itself, no more than ten feet or so taller, and slapped its hand to the rocky side. The tremor that swept through the ground had me and Bella tripping over each other and Edward crouching down to maintain his balance. Needless to say, Peter needed no such aid.

It was like my worst nightmares as a child come to life. I remembered being told as a small boy of the existence of different types of monsters and demons, and remembered not wanting to believe it. That first night they told me, I had nightmares about every type of demon in the world raining down from Heaven and killing me.

It wasn't far off from what I was seeing now. Demons of every type and stature were flying up out of the trees of the forest on the mountain, shrieking and growling like the wild animals they were—and all were headed straight for us to pay retribution.

"Watch me well, Edward. With one stroke, I shall slay a hundred demons."

He brought the Fang down from over his shoulder, his face so calm he made the movement look incredibly easy despite the sword's massive size—and the lightning emerged from the blade again, energy converted into rapid fire. The demons didn't stand a chance; they were all incinerated before they knew what had happened. Just like the vampire had said: in one stroke.

It was the first time I had seen the others lose their nerve so entirely. They were all literally speechless with horror and fascination. Edward's jaw had dropped much like mine moments ago, and his eyes were transfixed on the blazing scorch path left by the Fang as though it were his lifeline. In their surprise, Bella and Seth and released their holds on one another, and were now standing side by side, mirrored images of terror. I knew my expression was identical to theirs as well.

"The demons..." Seth whispered, shocked.

"Not only the demons, he destroyed the mountain, too!" I cried out in amazement, as the smoke from the blast cleared and I could see a deep canyon in the mountain where it's peak had once been.

Peter turned toward Edward, blase as if this were an everyday occurrence. "Now _that_ is the true power of the Great Fang, the supreme sword forged from our father's fang! Unfortunately, it is not capable of choosing its owner. Do you realize now that a half-breed like you can never master it?"

Edward growled under his breath, his fists clenching, but otherwise made no response.

"Edward!"

I glanced to my right in alarm to see Bella dart past me, attempting to go out onto the battlefield.

"Stop, Bella!" I called. She paused and turned back to me, as confused as if I were a father telling his daughter she couldn't go play in a flower field. Did she even realize how dangerous this whole thing was? No wonder Edward was so protective of her sometimes.

I looked around. There was no other option, and certainly no one else to do it. I sighed.

"I shall go. Both of you, make sure to stay behind me."

"You're going to use your hand?" Bella asked, turning around, perfectly willing to let me take control. I found myself staring at her in confusion. She made me want to protect her like a younger sister, in that she could go from being an all-knowing, kind woman, to a scared, eager child within moments. It was unnerving, but at the same time endearing.

"Become a victim of the Fang..." said Peter, glancing up the blade as he held it out towards Edward. "Truly, a fitting end for you."

"As if I'd let someone like you take the Fang!"

I ran forward and pushed myself in front of Edward, holding out my arms to block him, just in time. Edward had been about to lunge right into the lion's den, so to speak, and that I simply wasn't going to have.

"I'm afraid I can listen to this no longer," I said, trying to maintain my calm facade. "I must put an end to this foolish sibling rivalry."

"Hey! Butt out!" Edward snapped indignantly. He shoved me aside with his elbow, continuing, "I can handle this."

"Not on your own, you can't." I pushed him back behind me and grasped the prayer beads on my right hand tightly, taking a deep, calming breath. It didn't help to be in a fight like this scared of the outcome.

"Back off, monk, and get behind me!"

I threw my fists down, losing my carefully-restrained temper at last. "Don't be such a stubborn mule!" I snapped angrily, glaring at him.

"Very funny, coming from _you_!"

There was suddenly a huge boom from under us, and the ground began to shake. The massive demon had moved closer, and the imp thing on its shoulder shouted, "My lord! Leave this monk to me! No sense in wasting your time and energy on such a feeble opponent."

Peter's face remained careless as he took a step or two back, lowering the sword. "As you wish. I shall observe."

"Onward!" the imp shrieked, pummeling the larger demon with an ugly, twisted staff. "Crush them all!"

Gasping, I shoved Edward behind me and tore off my rosary beads. "Everyone, get back!" I threw my hand open and towards the three opposing demons, and watched as they each began to be pulled towards my hand.

Peter's face remained expressionless as he attempted to jump out of harm's way, but the imp and enormous demon were both screaming in surprise. There was something satisfying in the noise.

Peter, bracing himself against the Fang, which he dug in the ground, merely watched as his enormous demon's arm was sucked into the void of my hand. The rest of him was coming, as was the little imp creature now scrambling to get off the monster.

"You show 'em, Emmett!"

"Emmett, you're the best!—Oh, you were good, too, Edward."

"Gee, thanks, I can tell it was from the heart."

I shook my head, trying to block out their words. They were merely serving to distract, especially at the crucial moment when Peter removed something from his shirt and tossed it into the air, directly into the winds of my hand.

Immediately, enormous insects with poisonous, red stingers at their tips were flying around. It was a hive. While the enormous demon's head was being sucked into my Wind Tunnel, the bugs were sucked in as well.

I heard everyone—including me—gasp at the strange insects.

"What are those things?"

"Insects?"

"Wait! They're not being sucked in—they're flying at him!"

As soon as Bella shrieked that last observation, I realized it myself.

"What _are_ these?" I cried out in shock, trying to hold onto my right wrist with the opposite hand and wait out the strange, giant insects' assault.

Just then, my hand throbbed like the entire plethora of veins in my hand had enlarged and pulsed as one. I cried out in a combination of surprise and pure agony. It was like liquid fire was slowly moving up my hand to my wrist. Cutting off my Wind Tunnel with the beads and staggering back to the others, I fell to my knees, groaning in the sheer burning pain.

"Edward... You'll have to take over!" I barely managed to make sound intelligible through my clenched teeth.

"Emmett!"

"What'd they _do_ to you?!"

The remains of the enormous demon that I'd managed to kill by half-way sucking it into my hand fell to the ground, and the poisonous insects and the imp leaped out from their hiding places among its hair. Edward immediately sprang into action, using his claws to kill the insects that dared show themselves brazenly.

I tried to distract myself from the pain by paying close attention to everyone's every movement, but it wasn't working. My vision swam. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. I was going to be sick...

Bella knelt by my side, her hand gently resting on my shoulder, her eyes wide with concern and fear. "Are you all right, Emmett?"

"I've been... poisoned by those insects..." I managed to grind out.

She gasped, but whether at my admission or at the leftover bugs flying at us I didn't know. I was struggling to remain upright as the urge to heave or completely cede myself to the blackness in my mind took over.

Seth jumped up and took over, shouting, "Foxfire!"

"Please be careful, Seth!" Bella cautioned.

I made myself look up from the ground, where my vision was free to blur in and out of focus, and at Seth, who was carrying my staff and shooting his small flames at the bugs, managing to kill two or three at a time.

"Don't worry," he responded. "I can handle these bugs, at least."

The bugs suddenly swarmed around him, and he took off running, screaming shrilly.

"Seth!" I called, concerned—and immediately regretted it. The effort it took to raise my voice to that degree caused even more pain in my arm, which was completely consumed in the pain from the insects. My stomach heaving, my head pounding, my vision failing... was I going to die like this?

"Emmett, don't move! I'll look for an antidote!" Bella stood up, and ran towards the stone steps that led back up to the village, shouting briefly over her shoulder, "Edward! Watch Emmett!"

Without a close distraction, I was left to focus on nothing but my pain. I slouched over, my head falling against my lap, groaning.

"C'mon, Emmett! How about a little help here?"

I tried to look up at him, but my eyes blurred so I could just barely make out the red of his outfit. "Sorry, Edward... This poison weakens me..." I scoffed, angry even through the pain. "I can't believe those petty insects shut down my Wind Tunnel..."

Edward, completely not listening to my rambling, dug his own nails into the wounds on his wrist and flung the blood droplets into the air, calling, "Blades of Blood!" where they promptly did turn into red blades.

Unfortunately, I wasn't half as interested as I would have been in this new trick of Edward's. I was struggling to keep my mind off the searing pain and anguish, but I couldn't. I could feel every sweat droplet fall down my face, every muscle throb, but beyond that...

I heard a strange, familiar jingling sound and looked up. Peter, having blocked Edward's diversion, was advancing. Seth, carrying my staff, and Edward, looking livid, were approaching me with speed my groggy mind couldn't comprehend. Edward wrapped an arm under my arms and heaved me upright, carrying me to the shelter behind the body of the slain enormous demon.

"You owe me big time for this, Emmett!"

Edward froze, looking deep in thought and severely agitated for a reason I couldn't quite remember, and Seth cried out alarmedly, "He's coming!!"

"This is the end for you. Die."

There was an enormous bolt of lightning, and I was forced under the ground by a rough, pale hand. Edward pushed himself back up, and Peter, taking us all by surprise, actually began laughing. For a few pain-filled moments, Peter went on chuckling to himself, and I bit my bottom lip until it bled, trying to not cry out in pain.

"Your stupidity knows no bounds. Run and hide while you still can. That alone would be totally expected of you. Living in this world only adds to your disgrace."

Edward scoffed, and I felt him shift and stand next to me. "Blah, blah, blah! The guy starts swinging a new sword around, and suddenly he's looking for a soap box to stand on and preach to the world." He laughed quietly to himself, adjusting his weight. "Let me give you a piece of advice, now that I have your attention. If you're gonna kill someone, make sure you do it right the _first_ time! If you only maim them with the first attack, they have a nasty way of coming back to make you regret it! _Like this!_"

I felt his weight leave the ground beside me with startling swiftness, and the clash of his claws on Peter's sword, so I could safely assume Peter had deflected Edward's attack.

"Silence!" Peter barked, and finally he seemed to have lost his temper. "I've had just about enough!"

There was a extertive cry from Edward, and a dull clang as the sword collided with something. I managed to open my eyes from their screwed-up grimace, and saw that Edward had removed the sheathe from his belt and was using it to stave off the Fang. Resting my head on the ground after another wave of pain assaulted me, I allowed myself one brief smirk of pride. Edward may have been an arrogant idiot at times, but he was _our _arrogant idiot—and in that moment, he was the arrogant idiot standing up to Peter, a far more powerful foe.

There was a gasp and an expulsion of dirt and soil around me, and as I shut my eyes against the onslaught of pebbles, I heard the hideous little imp yelp, "Lord Peter nearly killed me! His blantant disregard for friend or foe when he sets his mind on killing someone is much more terrifying than his awesome power! ...My future may not be in good hands..."

I opened my eyes, and let myself smirk slightly in anticipation. It was just my way. See an opportunity, take it.

With as much speed as I was capable of, I pushed my hand up out of the earth Edward had covered me in and pinned the imp to the ground by his head. I pushed the rest of me out of the ground as well, Seth following.

"You're still alive!" the imp gasped, staring at us with wide, yellowing eyes.

"Imp, perhaps you can explain something to me," I growled. I pulled him close to my face with a firm grip on his head, ignoring his pitiful kicks and punches. "How is it that we have never met, and yet unless I'm mistaken you two brought along those insects specifically to obstruct my Wind Tunnel."

He stared at me fearfully, making little incoherent murmurs as he tried to fabricate an answer. Seth peered suspiciously behind the imp's hands, which were moving behind his back fitfully, and then yelled out in shock, "Emmett! Look out!"

I threw the imp away from me and fell back onto the ground just in time to avoid a burst of flames from the little toad's staff. I simply laid on the ground there, unable to make my convulsing muscles move properly for their spasms.

The imp stood on the small hill above us, holding his staff and cackling smugly. "A weak monk and a puny fox-child... I am powerful enough to take you both on at once!"

Far away, echoes of Edward and Peter's battle came to us, but I was far more preoccupied with the demonic imp preparing to attack us in my weakened state. With so many sounds going on in the valley we located, I knew that we couldn't have picked a worse place to fight. The space was good, true, but the sounds echoed and confused easily.

"Trying to stave off the Fang with a mere sheathe?"

"Yeah, but this is no ordinary sheathe. You'll see soon... when I use it to crack open that head of yours!"

Clattering sounds filled the valley as Seth dumped all his fox-illusory tricks onto the imp, who batted them away with his staff easily.

"Is that all you got?"

"Spinning Top!"

The imp jumped up to meet the top and knocked it out of the air before it could expand. "You fool!"

Groaning through my clenched teeth, I barely managed to push myself onto my knees. "Go, Seth! Never mind me!"

He rounded on me furiously, but whatever he'd been about to say was cut off as the imp unleashed more fire on us. With the sudden burst of adrenaline in my system, I pushed myself off the ground and, scooping Seth up, ran for it. The imp suddenly paused to watch the proceedings on Edward's end, and Seth and I were given the chance to hide and observe.

"That thing, kill me? Let's see you prove it."

There were more clatters, this time loud and brass, from the opposite side of the field where Peter was now assaulting the sheathe with the sword from multiple angles until his ambition was realized: the sheathe was knocked out of Edward's hands and whizzed helplessly away, while Edward crouched to the ground, seething.

Peter held up the sword expectantly, saying, "Just one more swing and it's over for you."

Edward growled, refusing to look away from his half-brother even when he could have been searching for a way to run away.

Out of nowhere, an arrow whizzed past Seth and I to our right and struck the Fang dead on, and then fell to the ground, its task complete. In Peter's hands, the Fang returned to its rusty, useless state.

"Peter!"

Riveted, everyone turned to face the unexpected Bella, who stood on a boulder near Seth and I, another arrow already notched and ready in her bow, her backpack thrown to the ground beside her.

"Drop the sword, or the next arrow's going in your heart!"

"Bella!"

The sound seemed to remind Bella that there were other people in the vicinity. Recovering quickly, she said, "Edward, get out of there!"

How could her arrow have cancelled the Fang's transformation with such minimal effort? I blinked, shaking my head. It had to be true then... Could Bella really be the reincarnation of the great priestess, Tanya?

When no one made any movement, Bella pulled her arrow back a little further and said, "Peter, this time I'll shoot your left arm off!"

Edward's eyes widened momentarily before he turned back to Peter, who had tensed and now looked incredibly uncomfortable, almost cornered. I leaned back against the nearest boulder, trying to get a good breath into my lungs. It was getting difficult to breathe, and I could feel myself panicking because of too small breaths. I suppressed the panicked urges and focused on dragging deep, calming breaths into my burning chest.

"Why his arm?" Edward mused to himself.

"Say goodbye to your shard of the jewel!" Bella cried, releasing her arrow.

This time, however, Peter knew what was coming and was far too fast. In the blink of an eye, he was standing just to the left of Edward, far away from the arrow, and in yet another small second, he had leapt into the air and landed right in front of Bella herself, who cried out a moment later and backed up uncertainly.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Edward leapt after Peter, looking absolutely livid.

Peter half-turned, trying to face Bella and Edward at the same time, as Edward came up behind him shouting angrily, "Leave her out of this! I'm the one you want!"

He sliced at Peter with his claws, but it was half-assed and we all knew it. He was really just trying to get Peter away from Bella so he could protect her. Peter's face, scratched from Edward's haphazard attack, dripped blood onto his pristine clothes as he jumped back down to ground level, glaring up at Edward, who stood protectively in front of Bella.

Glancing between the two of them and briefly touching his injured cheek, Peter smirked and sneered, "Most amusing. You move quite swiftly when it comes to that girl's safety."

Bella pushed against Edward's shoulder to get his attention, and said, "There's a jewel shard imbedded in his left arm!" She notched an arrow, preparing to shoot around Edward's body. "I'm sure I can hit it!"

"Enough, Bella," Edward said, turning to glance at her over his shoulder. She lowered her bow and arrow uncertainly. "Peter has never been one to be taken down easily. Stay here and care for Emmett. The remedies from your time may save him!"

"I'm on it!"

She started to run towards me, pushing her back into its holder, when Edward stopped her again, "Bella!"

She turned around, confused. "Yes?"

Edward looked down, refusing to meet her eyes, but his gratitude seeped in every word. "Thanks for your help... Your arrow halted the Fang's transformation. I can at least fight now."

_Edward? Thanking someone? _I hadn't realized our position was so precarious...

I closed my eyes, dragging a particularly rough breath into my lungs. I could hear Bella running over to me, and Peter and Edward's conversation, but I refused to open my eyes. Whenever I did, little bursts of light appeared before me and my head absolutely throbbed. I couldn't stand it much more before I went insane.

"The transformation was stopped by a mere mortal's arrow. I suppose the Fang didn't take to me."

"Lord Peter has blood on his face!"

My eyes popped open of their own accord, and I refused to acknowledge the pain they caused. That little imp had it coming to him for putting me through this hell, and I was going to deliver the karma personally.

I sat up, and, completely taking him by surprise, punched him over the back of the head. He yelped in pain and shock and whirled around while I growled obscenities under my breath. He scratched the back of his head fearfully, staring at me as though ready to bolt.

"Methinks your earlier expression was more pleasing to the eye and less menacing to the head..."

He dropped his hands and turned around, preparing to run for it, but even in my pain-induced stupor I could catch him. I grabbed him by the head again, and brought him back to my face.

"Where do you think _you're_ going, imp?"

I slammed the imp into the ground, shaking him roughly as I shouted, "Now confess, you nasty little beast! Where did you get those poisonsous insects?"

"I don't know who he was..." the imp groaned, managing to swivel his head around to meet my furious gaze. "But it was one who wore the hide of a baboon to conceal himself."

I gasped. _It couldn't be...!_

"And what was his name?!" I demanded, shaking him roughly once more.

"N-Name?" He hesitated, as though deep in thought, and then said, "He told us to call him by 'James.'"

I thrust the imp into the dirt, not even meaning to—entirely. I was completely stunned. After all my years of searching for him, the monster of my quest had come to _me_, (admittedly, indirectly) but with the memory of his curse on me?

"James?" Seth repeated eagerly. "Isn't that the one you're searching Emmett?"

I breathed in through my nose, forcing slow, long breaths. The adrenaline rush was wearing off, and the full brunt of the pain was returning. I refused to acknowledge it and instead pulled the imp up to my face and commanded, "Where is he? Tell me!"

"I know not where he is! And even if you were to find him, it would do you no good! Your fate has been sealed!" He paused, ceasing his kicks and futile protests, to give me a knowing smirk and evil eye. "Your body is full of insect poison and you will soon be dead!"

I tried to fight it, but actually hearing about my newfound illness reminded me of its presence, and the pain seemed to intensify; this time, in my stomach. I groaned, slumping forward slightly onto my raised knees. And that wasn't worst thing...

Seth leaned forward concernedly. "Are you in pain, Emmett?"

"The pain is nothing!" I snapped, furious at myself. "...It is death that concerns me—and my wretched fate as a mere mortal."

From his position pinned to the ground, the imp sneered, "Don't look to _me_ for sympathy!"

I usually hated violence, and only condoned it in the most extreme of cases, but this time... I was willing to make an exception.

Five minutes and several hundred bruises and lumps on the imp later, I was pushed by Seth up against another boulder. I groaned, gritting my teeth as a horrible wave of pain swept over me in result of my exertions.

"Emmett!" Seth squeaked, highly concerned, and ran up to clutch at my arm.

"I need to rest."

I forced myself to once again pratice the ridiculous breathing exercises I had to do in order to keep my body from panicking at its lack of air flow. It was getting absurdly hard...

"Seth! Are you all right?"

Bella, panting, dropped to her knees beside me and threw her backpack at her feet, asking, "How's he doing?"

"Not well—he's gotten worse..."

"Hang on."

She started rummaging around in her strange-colored sack, and then turned back with a strange can of drink and a box of medicine.

"I need you to take this medicine," she said urgently to me. "Think you can sit up?"

I smirked internally. _The perfect distraction for all of us... and a great way to go if she actually goes through with it._

I groaned in a rather exaggerated way, at least how I saw it, and turned my head away from the medicine she offered.

"No. If possible... could you give it to me mouth-to-mouth?"

"I understand."

There was a slightly popping sound, and the sound of someone sipping, and I opened my eyes... to see Seth, his cheeks puffed out with the medicine and drink, leaning down to me. I turned my head away, trying to hide my disgust and disappointment.

"On second thought, I think I can manage on my own."

I barely noticed Bella leaving in the time I drained the can of fizzy drink and downed all the medicine, but I did hear when Edward and Peter resumed their conversation.

"I've figured you out, Peter. Because you're a demon, you shouldn't be able to wield the Fang. That left arm of yours must have belonged to a human. You're using a shard of the Sacred Jewel to connect that arm to yours. If I lop off that arm, you'll no longer have what it takes to even touch the sword. And on top of that, when you lose that arm, I'll have myself yet another piece of the jewel!"

"If you think you can touch my left arm, just try it."

I glanced over the rock to see the vampire dance begin, and moving far too swiftly for me to comprehend. One moment, it seemed Edward had the upper hand; then the next, he was being punched to the ground by Peter.

While Edward lay on the ground, his face now bleeding from the scratches of Peter's claws, yet another arrow flew out of nowhere—this time completely destroying the vampire's armor at his left shoulder. So close, and yet so far...

For once, Peter's face was devoid of control and full of emotion—pure, insulting shock. And then he was infuriated.

Seth fled my side at once to stand beside Bella as she notched another arrow, and cheered, "Amazing, Bella! You destroyed his armor!"

Bella blushed and muttered, "I was aiming for his left _arm_."

Edward used the distraction to his benefit, and stood up uncertainly, still several long feet from Peter.

"Bella...!" he said, half angry, half grateful.

Peter, however, was livid. Glaring at Bella as though he would kill her on the spot if he could reach, he growled, "Edward... Make her stop. Half-breed though you are, the blood of a demon runs through your veins. Be proud of that. Don't stoop to accepting human aid, even on the verge of death."

Edward's eyes widened slightly, as though this speech had given him a totally different revelation, and called over his shoulder, "Don't try anything, Bella! Peter is ruthless."

Bella refused to listen and pulled her arrow back. "I can handle it. I'll hit him."

She released the arrow, and almost immediately it was caught between Peter's forefinger and middle finger, as easily as though she'd playfully tossed him a large object. The arrow melted into dust at his touch. Looking completely terrifying in his rage, Peter glanced down and the Fang reverted back into his stronger state... half-way at least. I felt the poison antidote beginning to take affect as I could see the details of the sword once again. It was only half-way transformed back.

Still, it would be lethal, and Peter seemed to realize as much.

Glaring at Bella spitefully, he spat, "Do you not understand how to stop?" He thrust the sword over his shoulder, preparing to strike at her, and shouted, "You've had your warning—now I shall put an end to your interference!"

He sliced the sword at her and the lightning shot out from the tip yet again, moving far too quickly for Bella to have a hope of avoiding it. Seth, who had fled at Peter's first warning, was already at my side and crying out in horror for Bella.

Edward turned and, in a streak of red and pale skin, was standing in front of Bella, cursing the whole while. He grabbed up Bella, tucking her into his chest, and attempted to get them both away... but instead ended up taking the full brunt of the attack against him.

They landed roughly on the ground after the lightning subsided, and I winced when Edward, who was losing consciousness, fell directly on Bella, who had either already died or had fainted. I could feel Seth's tiny nails digging into the skin at my throat as we waited breathlessly for the verdict. Edward, groaning, clapped a hand to his head and sat up slowly.

It seemed that he remembered what had happened in a rush, and whirled around to face Bella within a small second.

"Bella?" There was no response. "Bella!" He leaned down slightly, cupping her cheek and forcing her face to come near enough to his where he could determine if she were still among the living or not. She must have groaned or something for though she didn't open her eyes or seem to regain consciousness at all, Edward appeared slightly relieved, though, if anything, even more infuriated.

Peter, smirking, glanced down at the Fang in his hand, which had almost completely transformed back into its most powerful state. I groaned, feeling like this was a complete lost cause as I ran over to aid Edward and hopefully shield Bella's unconscious form from further distress.

Growling, Edward turned back to Peter and glared at his viciously. I hesitated briefly in my run. Never before that moment had Edward seemed so far gone that a calm word or gesture could bring him back to peacefulness—in that brief instant, Edward truly looked the part of an inhuman beast.

Shaking my head at such foolishness, I continued on my way. Edward was only concerned for Bella. It was natural for him to be so angry. I would have been too, in his position. Who wouldn't?

"You'll regret that, Peter. She didn't deserve it!"

I landed on my knees beside them, thankful for the receding pain in my limbs, and said, "The Fang is not fully transformed, yet it holds such power... There is only one way left to confront the Fang. I must attack with my Wind Tunnel."

Edward stood up, tossing a pebble in his hands with an almost careless attitude. "Better rethink that, Emmett. If you open that thing again..."

He tossed the pebble into a nearby cluster of bushes and boulders, where it bounced off the small trunk of a tree. Immediately, hundreds of the same poisonous bugs that James had sent with Peter and the imp sprang up into the air, buzzing indignantly.

"They're still here...!"

Jerking me out of my surprise, Seth laid a heavy (albeit tiny) hand on my arm. "You can't, Emmett! You're doomed if you take in anymore of that toxin..."

Beside me, Edward sighed slightly and shifted his weight to his opposite foot, as though impatient and resigned at the same time.

I glanced at him curiously, but he refused to meet my gaze, instead choosing to stare at his murderous half-brother.

"Take Bella and get out of here—fast. Get as far away from here as you can."

I gasped, and Seth cried, "But Edward—!"

Sighing again, this time completely resigned, Edward turned to face us fully, and I almost fell over in surprise. I'd never seen such a strange combination of complete hopelessness, fierce determination, and pure pleading.

"Please..." he added quietly, staring at me as though he knew I understood. "Don't let Bella die. Guard her with your life."

And in that moment, it was as though I understood everything and nothing all at once. I realized that this entire time I'd known him, Edward had not only been lying to me—he'd been lying to himself. I knew that in that instant, that Edward was almost entirely consumed in love with Bella... and I was almost as sure that he'd realized it, too.

"As if you can run. I shall destroy you all in a single stroke."

Within an instant, Edward was running towards the epitome of what he'd wished to become, his claws at the ready, shouting, "As if I'd let you!"

Peter brought down the sword and the lightning strike sprang forth. I scooped Bella up and tried to dodge, but Seth and I barely managed to get Bella and us into a safer spot behind the boulders. Though my antidote was working rapidly, I wasn't rid of the poison, and the dull throb of my limbs was cumbersome at best.

Edward ran right through the lightning as though it didn't hurt him at all, and the little bit that he hadn't taken on himself destroyed the rocks behind us. Just in case, I threw my body over Bella's to protect her in her unconscious state. Seeing Edward as I had those few minutes ago, I wasn't about to take him lightly when it came to the strange young woman in front of me.

However, though I was grateful, the blast subsided long before it should have.

Seth and I both turned back, to see Peter and Edward struggling, the sword only half swung down before Edward had caught it, giving us only half the blast of the lightning. Though Peter's face was as calm as ever, it appeared the struggle between them was working them both into a sweat, and started to wear on him.

It surprised me, though. Edward hadn't gone directly for the sword. Instead, he was now biting and pushing at the left arm itself. He was staving off the sword for us, without trying to get back his own sword to save himself...

Seeming to hear me as I gathered up Bella again, Edward's head turned slightly and he barked, almost worriedly, "Hey! Why are you still here?! RUN!"

I nodded hurriedly, and took off running, Bella tight against my chest so her limbs didn't flail around and knock into anything. Seth was close on my heels. Though it felt like the worst sin and shame to leave Edward behind, I knew that it was already too late for him. He'd made his choice, and gone straight into the lion's den. Even if I turned back now to help him, it would only serve to go against his last wish before Peter slew him... we both knew that.

"Very touching. Trying to buy time to help your friends escape?"

Gritting my teeth, I refused to turn and look when I heard Edward make an absolutely tear-inducing scream of pain. What purpose would it serve to turn back and look, except feed rage and morbidity?

Bella, however, seemed to have other ideas. As though his scream had woken her, which it probably had, her eyes fluttered open, and her head raised. She stared over my shoulder for a long moment, as though not comprehending what she was seeing, and then kicked me right in the stomach and jumped to the ground.

Refusing to give her the pride of seeing how that little kick had _hurt like hell_, I turned and grabbed her wrist. "Stop!"

"Let go of me!"

I shook my head, leaning in closer so that only she could hear me. "He wants to do this on his own. If you go back now, you'll only end up trampling Edward's own feelings."

She gasped a little, her eyes flooding with tears, and turned back to the scene in front of us. Unable to resist since we were already stopped and facing that direction, I looked too.

Peter had stabbed Edward right through the back of his stomach with his own bare hand and pointed claws, and had just then snatched it back out. He smirked smugly, assuming this battle was won. Which, admittedly, it looked like it was. Edward was no longer resisting the Fang -- in fact, he was barely moving at all, leaning against Peter's shoulder.

"If you have any last words, I'll hear them now."

With what seemed like a Herculean effort, Edward lifted his head and smirked cockily at Peter. "Your ignorance surprises me, Peter. I really thought you would have noticed it by now."

Peter's eyes narrowed with suspicious hatred. "Noticed what?"

"_That the sword is back in my hands!_"

Twisting Peter's arm in what looked like a severely painful way, Edward completely detached the forearm and the sword still gripped in the hand, and flicked away the arm as though it were a disgusting nuisance, turning back to Peter with his sword proudly held back in his hands.

"Lord Peter! Without that arm, you're unable to hold the Fang!" the imp whined.

Edward held the sword outstretched for a moment as though ready to strike. Then, his arms shaking with the effort, he brought the sword back into his side, still ready, but now protecting himself more than on the offensive. As we watched, Edward was steadily losing strength -- and blood. It was pooling around underneath him, spilling from the wound in his stomach.

Groaning, Edward fell to one knee, the sword digging into the ground, still in its strong state. Edward, however, was gone. Completely unconscious, he leaned against the sword, his open eyes still glaring at Peter defensively. Bella gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands. Seth and I, however, we speechless.

"Lord Peter!" the imp cried out jubilantly, charging toward Edward to retrieve the sword. "That damn Edward has finally lost consciousness --"

"Do not approach any closer."

"Huh?" The imp turned back to his master confusedly, and only barely noticed in time that Edward's hands on the Fang had begun to shake, and the sword emitted a small piece of the same lightning strike Peter had used -- aimed straight for the imp.

I blinked, utterly amazed. _Even unconscious, the sword protects him...!_

"W-What happened? The sword attacked of its own accord!"

Peter growled lightly under his breath and glared at Edward. "He holds power over it, despite being unconscious. If I make a move for him, he will strike me down..." Carefully rearranging his features into his previous aloofness, he turned on his heel and stalked away. "We're leaving, Jenkins. As the Fang is presently beyond my reach, there is no sense in staying."

"Oh, already? Certainly."

They were gone in a flash of white, and the poisonous insects that had swiftly become the bane of my existence flew after them.

Edward -- his unconscious, half-demon body, anyway -- seemed to realize that the threat was no longer around. Bella gasped and ran towards him, but it was already too late.

Seeming surprised to find himself where he was, Edward sort of groaned, "Bella... you're all right..." and collapsed into the puddle of his own blood that had collected around him, his eyes wide and staring at nothing. Only then did the sword transform back into its worthless rusted self.

Unnoticed tears trailing down her face, Bella screamed, "_Edward_!"

* * *

**Jenkins' POV**

Slowing his run to a brisk canter more than anything else, Lord Peter allowed me to grip the back of his armor and ride on him until we reached our destination. But it hadn't escaped our notice or patience that James' poisonous insects were still following us.

"How long do these damned bugs intend to follow us?" I snapped finally, letting me temper get the better of me.

"Calm yourself. Ultimately, it is the jewel shard they are after. They are waiting for me to discard the arm."

Lord Peter drew down the shoulder of his shirt, and I gasped. Right where his usual, amputated arm ended and James' began, was fire, licking at Lord Peter's own shoulder. Milord, however, didn't look phazed in the slightest.

"Milord! The arm is burning at the joint! The fire extends towards your own body!"

His face as calm as ever, Peter reached over with his last remaining true arm and yanked off James' counterfeit mortal one, tossing it into the air over his shoulder, where it disintegrated in the flames that consumed it, leaving a gleaming jewel shard that one of the bugs immediately caught and flew off with. The others followed.

Peter, however, decided to turn around and follow them, as well.

We ended up in some swampy area, where the bugs dropped the jewel shard toward the murky water and flew away. The shard was caught by the same figure in the baboon costume, who murmured to himself, "That Peter... He failed."

Immediately, Lord Peter pushed his right arm back at the elbow, effectively knocking me off his armor. He stepped foward, right behind the stranger, who stiffened when he felt the extra presence.

Springing forward and turning around before Lord Peter, he bowed and said in fake humility, "Lord Peter, what a pleasant surprise."

"James!" I barked furiously, tempted to hit him upside the head with my staff. "You tried to kill my lord with that arm!"

"Oh, no such thing!" said the bizarre creature, putting on an air of offended surprise. "This was just a little something so that I could get back my jewel fragment."

"Quite well prepared, aren't you?" Lord Peter smirked, raising an eyebrow. Within an instant, he was standing before the hide of the baboon-wearer, and had sliced it at the neck. The mask fell to the ground, along with the empty bodice of the costume. There was no body.

"He got away..."

"Lord Peter..." the voice echoed from nowhere, but it was clearly the generic, and unremarkable voice of the stranger calling himself James. "Please hold back your anger. I may call on you again... should another opportunity arise to kill Edward."

The voice faded away into nothing, and Lord Peter bowed his head, smirking slightly. "A crafty, audacious wretch, is he not?"

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"Henry... We've known each other a long time..."

"Take cheer, my friend. There's no need for such deathbed sentimentality."

"Feeling any better after you took that antidote?"

"I believe your remedy has indeed started to take full affect. You saved my life, Bella."

"Heennryyy, I'm hungryyy."

"Glad to hear you're returning to normal. I'll find something."

The voices and movements around me were as free and normal as ever, but there was a new aura around us all, our nerves wound tight after our recent battle. While Emmett's friend, Henry, the raccoon demon that had attacked me what seemed like ages ago, had transformed and offered us a lift to Emmett's old home where there were decent healings for me, I had cut them all out, insisting that we go home. _My_ home. Bella's home, too, when she stayed in this time.

It was almost amusing, how they all thought I couldn't hear them. Even though I was weaker than normal, and in a hell of a lot more pain, I could still hear every word and movement. I could almost hear the gestures they made in the air whipping past us, since my eyes were closed and all my other senses were dulled slightly.

I heard Bella's step walk over to where her strange iron cart was leaning just above my head, and where Seth was currently resting.

"How is he? Notice any changes?"

"He's hardly moved the entire time."

"Seth, tell me more about that hive."

"According to the imp, it was James who lent the hive to Peter. James was the one who burned the Wind Tunnel into Emmett's right hand, remember?"

"Yes... and the demon that set Tanya and Edward against each other. Now Edward thinks he has to destroy James to avenge Tanya's death... Does Edward know about all this?"

"No, he needed all his energy to battle Peter. And I knew this news about James would infuriate him, and the last thing he needed was a distraction."

Bella sighed, and I almost smiled. They thought they were being secretive? Who could go unheard around a vampire, even a half-breed like me?

"Let's not tell Edward, ok? Otherwise, he'd go after James, and he's just too weak and injured to do it. We'll tell him eventually, but right now, let's concentrate on helping him recover."

"I agree..."

I let my eyes open, and stared at the clouds flying past us overhead.

So I'd been right all along. James was near. The one who'd disguised himself as me and killed Tanya. He'd hidden himself, but he was somewhere nearby...

_So he shows up when there's a shard of the Sacred Jewel to be found... just like Bella said... Useful information._

But the point remained: James was nearby.

And I had a difficult choice laid out in front of me.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

As Henry lowered to the ground and transformed back into his normal self, the others and I all gathered around the forest on the outskirts of Lady Irina's village, which Edward claimed was his home, though he'd not been born there, or even raised there. In fact, the way Lady Irina told it, Edward hadn't even heard of such a small village until he'd met Tanya. Which raised the question of the word 'home.'

Edward leaned against a tree trunk, his eyes closed against the dawn, looking a little annoyed or troubled about something. Bella, Henry and Seth sat a little ways off, chatting amiably. I decided to join them before I allowed my head to be chewed off by Edward's irritation.

"Thanks for the lift, Henry," Bella was saying cheerfully. "We really owe you one."

Rubbing the back of his neck bashfully, Henry chuckled, "Don't mention it."

I dug around in the pocket of my robes and took out some of my leftover money from the innkeeper's gratitude. I extended it to Henry, who took it warily, but enthusiastically.

"A token of our appreciation," I clarified.

"Mm," he said flatly, giving me a level stare that for some reason I found quite humorous in that given moment. "It's currency and not a roll of... _leaves_, I hope?"

I laughed awkwardly, remembering the time I'd rather tricked Henry into accepting my 'gratitude' in the form of fake money.

"Bella..." Edward rose slowly to his feet, using the tree behind him as support, "...come with me."

Looking rather confused, and far more concerned, Bella jumped to her feet and ran after him, tripping only once on the way.

"You shouldn't be up yet!" she admonished. She grabbed his arm, trying to gently pull him back to where he'd been sitting. "Look, I know you're stronger than humans, but that's a serious injury. It's still too early for you to be moving around."

Shaking her arm away after a long second, Edward walked forward, without even glancing behind to see if she was following. I blinked, my curiosity aroused. Had my assumptions of the depth of Edward's feelings before been unfounded? The way he acted now would suggest that he barely counted her as a friend.

I decided in that moment that whatever was going on between them, I had to find out. Unfortunately for me, I had an insanely strong curiosity, and once it got a whiff of something, I had to have the mystery solved or I'd never sleep easy. So I rose to my feet and tried to walk stealthily behind them, though not make it apparent that I was trying not to let them notice me.

Edward, however, seemed to have sharp ears even in pain. He spun around, glaring, and snapped, "Who invited you? Quit following!"

He turned and walked away, scoffing under his breath, and Bella trailed after him a moment later, looking thoroughly shocked. Now I was absolutely dying to know what Edward was up to. Privacy... alone-time... way out in the middle of the woods where no one could see anything...? Looked fishy, to me.

So I (with Seth on my shoulder) followed them, too, this time putting enough distance between us to ensure that even Edward wouldn't be able to hear me unless he was really focusing -- but remaining close enough so that I could see and hear everything myself.

They walked in silence for a long time, seeming a little too comfortable for my contentment, but otherwise boring me to sleep with the lack of anything good.

Until Bella gasped and kneeled down on the ground, ignoring how Edward tensed as though instinctively preparing for a battle. With a pang of pity, I realized that his entire life had been one battle after another. He honestly didn't know how else to live.

Bella started rummaging around in what looked like nothing more than a bunch of weeds to me, appearing riveted. Edward paused behind her, being far more tolerant with her distraction that I would have thought he could be.

"This is the herb that Lady Irina taught me is the best antidote for poison," she said to no one in particular. "I'll brew some tea with it later." She grabbed up another weed excitedly and expained, "And this one here makes a good antiseptic. It really works, but it stings something awful."

With her back to Edward, Bella didn't see the conflicting emotions on his face in that moment, but I did, and I was fascinated. It was like watching a clock unwind itself. He actually let go of his carefully contained emotions, and let his face be open to whatever he was feeling. And in that moment, he was somewhere between proud, pleased, and very sad.

"You've learned a lot," he offered unexpectedly.

Bella shrugged, refusing to look away from her little weed plot. "I guess."

Edward assessed her silently for a moment before adding, "You've become stronger." The sadness in his expression deepened somewhat as he said this, as though the revelation of it was painful.

Bella drew herself up to her feet, proud of her accomplishments. "Well, you've finally noticed. How could I not get stronger, running from demons every day? I've learned a lot more than your average ninth grader, if I do say so myself. And my archery's not too shabby, either."

She walked past Edward, still quite smug, and through the remaining brambles and bushes into a small clearing. She completely missed the newest feature on Edward's face, one that made me almost fall out of my hiding spot behind a tree: an amused, almost tender, smile.

He followed her out to the clearing, where they both paused momentarily and stared at the decrepit old well that occupied it. I didn't see what the big point of it was, but there must have been some past history of the well with Edward and Bella that happened before I met them.

After a moment, Edward resumed walking, and then plopped down painfully onto the ground, his back leaning against the well, his eyes closed. Bella chose to stand, staying a few feet away from him.

"Bella, I haven't asked how _you're_ feeling," Edward said after a minute. "You're hurt, too."

Bella seemed as shocked as I was by this almost-considerate question. When she recovered, she smiled ironically and said, "It's just a little lump on the head." Then her smile fell, and she became sad and contrite. "I'm sorry, Edward. You told me to stay away from Peter, but I didn't listen, and only ended up getting in your way. If I'd run away like you told me to, you wouldn't have been so seriously injured."

Edward's eyes opened slowly, and he stared at the ground at her feet, refusing to meet her eyes. "No... In the end, it was _you_ who saved _me_ -- with your arrow. I'm grateful, Bella."

At that, I couldn't help but let my knees give out in shock. Luckily, there was a hill right in front of me, and Seth and I ducked behind it, still able to see and hear everything, but far enough away where we couldn't easily be heard.

But what the hell was Edward thinking? I was pretty sure I knew what he was planning to do, but did he have to do all this just before? Hurt her feelings even more? I was sure I wasn't the only one who noticed the slight pause he'd put in his sentence about her saving him.

However, it seemed Bella was naive as a child today. The inflection of that entire admission totally flew over her head, only leaving her rather stunned that he was grateful for her interference.

She dropped heavily to her knees, staring at him as though he'd grown another head. "You're acting totally weird now," she said concernedly, putting her hand over his forehead. "You must have a fever."

"What's Edward playing at, taking Bella so deep into the forest?" Seth hissed from my shoulder, staring over the grassy hill. I put my finger to my lips and hissed at him to be quiet.

"You must've heard, too," Edward was saying rather uncomfortably, "about how James lured me into a trap fifty years ago. He's the one pulling the strings behind Peter. ...That's why... I've made a decision." Bella tilted her head, waiting for this big decision that he had to drag her way out into the woods to hear. "Things are getting more dangerous by the day..."

He paused, and Bella looked absolutely shocked that he'd only just noticed this. "Yeah, you're right."

That little agreement seemed to snap Edward out of the trance of calmness he'd been in before. His eyes blazed angrily and he demanded, "What's that mean? Bella, aren't you _scared_? We're in serious danger! This time we were lucky but who knows about next time?"

Bella glared at it, looking fierce as anything but at the same time more vulnerable than a baby. "Well, I'm not afraid," she snapped. "James is a terrible demon! We've got to do what we can to destroy h--"

Edward moved so quickly that I -- and Bella, it seemed -- couldn't register what he'd done until he frozen again. He'd grabbed Bella's wrist and snatched her up, holding her tight to his chest. He held her so tightly his arms shook. Without her in front of him to see his face, he let his control waver again. There were too many emotions there to read them all, but the most predominate were anger, determination, sadness -- and naked fear.

Bella, who looked incredibly bewildered and shocked, asked, "Edward... what are you doing?"

Ignoring her completely, Edward pushed his face into her hair and said, "I was afraid."

Immediately, I pushed Seth's face down into my robes -- not enough to suffocate him, but enough so that he couldn't see or hear anything. I knew what Edward was about, the filthy hypocrite, and it was most definitely not something for Seth to see. I ignored his kicks and protests and struggles.

After that first admission, the rest of the words seemed to flow in a fast flood of anguish, as though a dam had been broken inside him.

"I thought I was going to lose you... I was terrified."

He held her tighter for a moment, cupping the back of her head -- and then he shocked me. I'd thought he was about to take advantage of Bella's confusion and vulnerability in that moment, but instead of that, he did the exact opposite. His eyes turned to ice-hard emeralds, devoid of emotion except cold aloofness, and he shoved Bella away from him, knocking her to the ground while he stood.

I gasped, trying to keep myself sitting while I watched this scene unfold. In that instant, I knew there'd be no reaching Edward. He'd made his choice, and there was no stopping him.

He held up the large jewel fragment they'd collected, both showing her what he'd done and implanting the suspicion in her mind that he'd held her only to steal it from her.

"I'll hold onto this," he said, in a toneless voice that could have matched Peter's.

Bella jumped to her feet indignantly, demanding, "What do you think you're doing?"

Edward ignored her, stowing the shard away in his pants pocket. Then, slowly meeting her eyes with a cold disdain, he commanded, "Bella... _you must never return to this era again!_"

She started to approach him, presumably to take back her jewel shard, but he shoved her lightly in the shoulder, effectively knocking her off balance. The back of her knees hit the side of the well, and she tumbled over it, screaming, before Seth and I could scramble out of our hiding place and help.

Shoving Edward out of the way so I could peer over the edge, I barked, "Edward, what have you done?!"

Barely managed to see the bottom of the well through the deep darkness, I could make out that there was no broken body down there. There was nothing.

"Bella is gone..." I whispered, shocked and more confused than I'd ever been in my life. I couldn't believe Edward had done this. I knew he'd wanted to do the right thing, but _killing_ her?! "What have you done?!" I repeated.

Now that Bella was gone, he dropped his facade. He peered over the edge of the well, too, and whispered, "I've sent her back home, to her own time on the other side of the well... where she truly belongs."

I stared at him for a moment, and slowly nodded. If he hadn't killed her, then, though I might hate it, I understood. It truly was getting more dangerous day by day. He'd forced himself to save her from that -- even if meant hurting her slightly in the process.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Landing on the other side of the well, I was furious. And confused. Who the hell did Edward think he was to steal my jewel shards like that? He didn't have to go to such lengths, either! I might have given it to him if he'd just _asked_ me, but nooo he had to be Mr. Macho and make a big deal out of it.

When I reached the top of the ladder I'd recently put in the well on my side to help me in and out, I realized that by letting him get away with what he'd done to me, I wasn't helping matters at all. I'd go back and teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget about manners.

I pushed myself off the ladder and fell... landing on hard ground almost immediately.

I could still hear a jet plane passing overhead outside, so I knew I was back in my own time.

I gasped, the full realization of what Edward had done to me hitting me like a brick wall.

_You must never return to this era again!_

I couldn't get back to the Feudal Era...

Because I didn't have my jewel shard to connect me anymore!!

* * *

**All right, lay it on me. I'm ready. :) Don't worry, though. This separation doesn't last long. In fact, I believe I sense a change in the wind in the next chapter... **

**Enough hints, I think :)**

**NEXT CHAPPIE (Bella's POV): **I was held by a boy for the very first time -- but it was only so the liar could steal my jewel shard! While Edward suffers from the poison of his wounds, a new enemy attacks. The timing is too advantageous to be a coincidence. Someone's watching... someone closeby... watching and waiting. Lady Irina, do you know what James really looks like? Next time: "The Mystery of James Revealed."

**And don't forget to review, even if it is just to tell me to hurry up and get B back over there ;)**


	18. The Mystery of James Revealed

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**Haha you all will probably laugh at me this time around because I made a funny decision. I thought, throughout this fanfic, I've used Catholicism, Buddhism, and atheism. I'm big on the whole 'coexist' thing, so I've decided this time around to throw in some... Greek mythology! :D I thought it fit kinda well since Cerberus, the Guardian of Hell, was supposed to be a dog. In this, I've made him like a wolf-demon on steroids. But it doesn't really matter all that much 'cause no one really believes ancient mythology anymore, right? I just wanted to shake things up a bit. :)**

**Oh, and also, some of you might wonder why Edward curses more / is uber cranky here in his mind: 'cause Bella's gone, duh! He might not fully realize it yet, but she effects him strongly already. He's in a really pissy mood when she's not around. I forget how his original character phrased it, but it was funny. Something like, "Without her to pick on, what's the point of even getting up in the morning?"**

**Y MUY IMPORTANTE: We get a new POV in this chappy. Someone who's been talked about quite frequently, even named explicitly for this chapter, finally shows a little of himself... Who could _that_ be, I wonder? :D**

**Chapter Summary:** Like the title says. We learn who James really is here, and why he hated Edward and Tanya enough to try and pitch them against each other.

* * *

So Far: _"Who are you?" - "I am someone like you, who despises Edward." - "I should know the name of the one I make a pact with." - "My apologies. It is James." - "Well, I'm not afraid! James is a terrible demon! We've got to do what we can to destroy him!" - "Trying to buy time in order to save the lives of your friends?" - "I was afraid... I thought I was going to lose you... I was terrified." - "Bella... YOU MUST NEVER RETURN TO THIS ERA AGAIN."_

**

* * *

**

The Mystery of James Revealed

**Seth's POV**

Almost before I'd registered what had happened—or rather, what that jerk Edward had done—Edward had uprooted the nearest, largest tree and stuffed it down the opening of the well. The wooden sides of the well groaned in protest as the large tree trunk stretched them, but Edward ignored it.

I leaped up and grabbed the back of his pants leg, purposefully sinking my tiny nails into his shin, and cried, "What are you doing, Edward?"

"Shut up."

I jerked his pants leg, my own sorry attempt to move him away from the well, shouting, "If you seal up the well, Bella won't be able to return! Don't fool yourself—you need her as much as the rest of us do!"

Edward sighed, releasing the tree. "I can't have her hanging around, otherwise I'll never be able to fight the way I want to," he explained.

I literally fell off his leg in surprise, my fingers having released the thin fabric without commanding them to do so. He walked away, but I just sat and stared after him in shock. He sent Bella away _so he could fight with the reckless abandon that could get him KILLED_? What kind of supremely selfish jerk was he?

Growling furiously under my breath, I sat down firmly and turned my back on the others, staring at the well. I felt Emmett's eyes on me, and heard Edward's easy step as he continued walking away, but I refused to turn around.

"Let's go, Emmett."

"Go? Where to?"

Edward's footsteps halted. "How can you ask such a thing? To find James and crush him once and for all!"

I heard Emmett take a step closer to me. "Well, Seth?"

"I'm not going anywhere," I hissed. I knew it was childish of me, behaving so petulantly, but I couldn't resist. I felt the angry, desperate tears already pricking at my eyes, and furiously scrubbed them away, still refusing to turn around. "I despise Edward."

Edward scoffed. "Fine by me. Stay here, then." His steps resumed, receding farther and farther away.

I heard Emmett sigh lightly, before saying, "I understand that you forced Bella to leave for her own safety, but couldn't you have achieved the same end through less aggressive means?"

Edward, whose steps had once again halted abuptly at the mention of Bella's name, flinched and snapped, "Leave me alone! I did what I had to, ok?"

For her own safety? Edward didn't care about Bella's safety. All he did was yell at her about how annoying she was, or how bad she smelled, or how much of a nuisance she was becoming with him always having to help her.

Calmly, Emmett refused to be silenced. "So how do you recommend we go about searching for James? You've come across some new leads, I suppose?"

"...not exactly..."

"You have _nothing_ to go on?"

"Shut up!"

Emmett sighed, and this time I heard the building pressure of his carefully-checked temper brewing under the surface. "You sent Bella back of your own volition. I'd appreciate it if you didn't take out your frustration on me."

I heard Edward spin around furiously, and flinched slightly.

"Will you get off my back?"

I heard the jingling of Emmett's staff as he walked over and seated himself on a nearby boulder. "Our best hope now lies in composing ourselves and thinking things through."

"We don't have the time!"

Finally, Emmett's control seemed to snap. "What are you thinking?" he barked angrily, and I was nearly lost in the urge to turn around. I'd never heard Emmett speak so furiously. "I want to crush James as desperately as you, Edward!" I heard Edward's steps falter and turn. "Fifty years ago, he formed a Wind Tunnel in the hand of my grandfather. And now the curse has carried over the generations to _me_!"

"Emmett," Edward started to say, breaking himself off. Then he sighed and I heard him sit down as well, presumably next to Emmett. "Taking action is more my style—not strategizing. You think of something."

"Work with me, Edward. Let's go back to when this all started. You said you fell into James' trap fifty years ago in this very same village, correct?"

"Yeah."

"So you've met James in person, then?"

There was a slight hesitation, and then Edward spoke reluctantly, his voice dangerously low. This was obviously bringing back bad memories for him, but I didn't feel the least bit sorry for him. He deserved anything after what he'd done to Bella.

"Not exactly... Tanya—the priestess who'd protected the jewel—she and I planned to use the jewel to turn me into a human. But the day she was to give me the jewel, she showed up and started firing arrows at me, screaming at me to die... I may have met him, but if I did, he was disguised as Tanya. I have no idea what he looks like."

I heard Emmett exhale slowly. "It makes no sense. You don't know James, and yet he despised you enough to disguise himself as Tanya and fire arrows at you. Could you have done something in the past to embitter him?"

Edward scoffed. "How would I know? I don't even know what he looks like!"

"Hmm... Well, one thing we do know is that Tanya was a priestess. Perhaps it was she and not you that James had a deep grudge against. Especially since you don't think you know him."

"You mean it's _Tanya_ he hates?"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Frowning to myself, I walked up the path to school. For some reason, it felt like it had been ages since I'd done this. I growled under my breath, scratching at my arm. The damn sweater I had to wear was too freaking itchy. I couldn't wait until Mom took my regular shirt out of the wash for me.

"Bella!"

I resisted a flinch. I should have known this was coming, and I had... I'd just wanted to put off their expectations till later, when I could make a good attempt at explaining.

I turned around reluctantly as my three friends ran up, and said lamely, "Hi."

"It's been so long!" Jess said happily. "Is your rheumatism better?"

"And your planters warts?" Lauren asked.

Great job, Grandma. Just what I needed right now.

Luckily, Angela saved me from having to come up with a good enough response. "You're not in uniform," she said, glancing down at my plain white sweater and navy blue skirt. "What happened?"

"My uniform's in the wash right now," I explained absently. "The front was covered in blood."

Too late, I realized my mistake. They all gasped as one and cried, "Now you're a hemophiliac?"

I sighed, deciding to just give up while I could.

"Oh, yeah," I said weakly. "I'll be six feet under in no time."

Later on in class, with nothing but the sharp taps of the chalk on the board by the teacher, I had nothing to stop me from letting my mind wander. Propping my chin up on my elbow, which rested on my desk, I sighed and started to daydream.

Unbidden, the memory of Edward holding me as he had came to mind. I sighed, not caring enough to divert my attention to something else.

His bleeding hadn't stopped. I'd been so worried about him... I scoffed, remembering his cold, almost condescending gaze as he held the pilfered jewel.

But then, why was I feeling guilty over him? He probably had _other_ things on his mind when he held me like that. Did he hug me just so he could take the jewel?

"That creep's gonna pay!" I shouted, jumping to my feet.

...I blushed, glancing down. I'd accidentally stood up, and the entire class was staring at me like I'd lost my mind... I wasn't quite sure if they were wrong anymore.

"Miss Swan, take it into the hall, if you don't mind."

I nodded, still feeling volatile, and trudged out on my walk of shame. Out in the hall, I threw myself against the nearest wall, crossing my arms roughly over my chest.

It was the first time a guy'd hugged me like that, ok! I couldn't help it if I got a bit flustered...

Could he even pass for a 'guy'? He _was_ half-human, after all.

* * *

**Irina's POV**

It had taken some persuasion, a lot of coercion, and a ton of force, but eventually Master Emmett and I got Edward into my hut so that I could assess and properly treat his wounds. Edward, being his normal idiotic self, wanted to go right ahead and find James pronto, but what good would that have done if Edward had just collapsed on James' doorstep?

So he sulkily removed his red and white shirts and sat bare-chested in front of me while I applied salves to his back to speed up the healing process. Not that Edward seemed to need help in that department. It had only been last night/early this morning that he'd been injured, and yet already his wounds had closed to form an angry, red scab.

"Edward," I said sternly, while Emmett sipped the tea I'd made, "these injuries are extensive. Ye won't be seeing any battles for quite some time."

Edward scoffed, rolling his eyes. "They won't hold me back any longer than two or three days."

I shot Emmett a withering look, to which he shrugged - _what can you do with someone like him?_ - and I sighed, responding, "Not surprising that ye would put on a brave face. Well, I'm done," I finished, giving Edward's back a resounding pat/slap.

There was a slight hesitation in which Edward bit his lip and tried to hold in the pain, but eventually he shrieked and spat furiously, "What'd you do that for?"

I looked a him steadily, a little impressed. "If ye can muster that much vigor, mayhap it won't take as long as I first thought for ye to recover. But I've been thinking..." I looked down for a moment, my mind involuntarily flood with the happier memories of my childhood and then the monster she had become, and then said, "...ever since my sister, Tanya, was resurrected from mud."

They both sat up straighter. I knew that Master Emmett had yet to learn of my sister's true fate. He knew of her, of course, but he knew not yet that she had been resurrected.

"My sister said that her Sacred Jewel was stolen by ye, Edward. Do ye not think it strange? This man who disguised himself as ye could have made off with the jewel. Yet he did not. He tricked ye into terrorizing the village and pursuing the jewel. And then Tanya bound ye to the tree. Was the man attempting to pitch ye against each other? Or was he trying to fill Tanya's heart with hatred and bitterness?"

At that last question, even Edward sat up straighter and stared rather hard at me, completely forgetting that he was in the middle of putting his shirts back on.

"In Tanya's possession, the Sacred Jewel remained pure," I explained, since they both seemed confused as to why one would seek such a thing. "But when her heart became tainted and hateful, the jewel also became sullied and filled with a malevolent power. And at that time, only one person would have hoped for such a thing."

Edward and Emmett both leaned forward unconsciously, riveted. I knew they were surmising the worst of this man.

"Shall I take ye to see the place where this man once resided?" I offered.

As I led them outside, to a little abandoned field beside a lake with a little cave cut out of a hill, I explained the story of the man who'd once stayed in the cave. Emmett was deeply humbled and impressed by my sister's kindness, but Edward seemed unsympathetic.

"Tanya had come to her own decision," I began.

"She was harboring a thief," Edward interrupted, flat and bored.

"Because she pitied him," I tried to explain. "He was unable to move at all."

Edward's face didn't change, but he didn't respond. Finally, we pushed our way through the last of the overgrown weeds of the field and came to a stop outside the cave.

"This is the place," I said softly, feeling as though I were right back in time there. "The man went by the name of Keller." I paused, and as I continued, the memories danced before my failing old eyes of the man, wrapped so tightly in gauze and bandages that only one eye and the mouth were visible, and of my sister patiently spoon-feeding him every midday.

"He had terrible burn scars all over his body," I said slowly, trying and failing to wrench myself out of my memories enough to properly guide them into the crpyt-like cavern. "His face, especially, was badly scarred. I know not if he fell from a cliff or how he sustained his injuries, but both his legs were broken. Still, Keller continued to endure. He never moved from that spot, but he slowly healed enough to be able to converse. Only then did his true nature reveal itself."

I was overcome by the memories, the gray-black walls of the moss-covered cave trapping me in them like a fantasy cage.

_FLASH! I was nine years old, wringing the washcloth over a bucket of water, Sister having made me promise to dampen the man's forehead so he wouldn't overheat. FLASH! "You, young lass..." FLASH! "I'm Irina," I said, trying not to let my reluctance and distrust show in my voice. FLASH! "Yes... Your sister possesses what is known as the Sacred Jewel, does she not?" FLASH! I froze; only those in Tanya's most inner circle knew of her recent promise to protect the jewel. FLASH! "What would _you_ know of the jewel?" FLASH! "All who are wicked know of it... and pursue it." FLASH! "You, included?" I snapped. FLASH! "I understand that the more evil the jewel absorbs... the more evil it becomes. Outstanding." FLASH! I scoffed, turning back to my wash bucket. FLASH! "My sister has it under her control. It will not be corrupted." FLASH! "...Tanya's manner is self-righteous and smug. For once I should like to see her apprehensive and frightened... _That _would bring me true pleasure." FLASH! I glared as he laughed, trying not to let him see how he'd alarmed me._

_FLASH! "I see..." Tanya murmured, bending to scoop up a flower and lay it in her basket. FLASH! "Keller said that, did he?" FLASH! "Big sister, I don't care for that man." FLASH! She smiled gently to me, her usually kind face hidden behind a mask of seriousness so that I couldn't tell what she was thinking. FLASH! "Bear him no grudge. Forgive him and give him pity. He will never move from that spot again."_

"And shortly thereafter Sister sealed you to the tree and died," I finished, after telling the others the entire collection of memories that had bombarded me. "Several days later, when I went there, I found the cave had been burned out. The flames must have been huge, for Keller had been unable to move, and would have perished in the cave. Yet his bones were nowhere to be found... not a trace... Or so I thought."

Edward rolled his eyes and snapped, "C'mon, old woman, what does this have to do with _me_? Wasn't this Keller guy a mere mortal? The James I seek is a demon!"

"Absolutely," I agreed grimly. "No matter how weak and evil, he was still mortal. A scourge to humanity."

"Shall we go inside this cave?" Master Emmett asked, stepping forward to grip the rather steeply inclined outer wall of the cave, which had to be scaled in order to reach the roughly-made steps on the other side.

* * *

**Seth's POV**

I didn't care _what_ Edward said. No one made him ruler of the universe, and he couldn't boss us around. If he didn't want to see Bella anymore, then he could go off on his own or something. That didn't mean he had to make the rest of us suffer with him.

I jumped up on the side of the well, sinking my nails into the trunk of the tree and tugging with all my might. Edward made it look like nothing, but here I was - _accomplishing_ nothing.

One of my nails broke, and the pain and jolt of surprise made me recoil. Balanced as precariously as I was on the edge of the well, the force of my momentum sent me toppling to the ground, which, because of my unfortunate size, was a long way down.

I landed roughly and tried not to let the angry, frustrated tears come to my eyes. I was the only kid of our group, the only little boy. The only one who was really allowed to cry and not made fun of it for was Bella.

...I missed her already. She would've understood if I cried. She would have made Edward 'sit' for upsetting me in the first place. Would I ever see her again?

_"I can't have her hanging around, otherwise I'll never be able to fight the way I want to."_

I growled, punching the ground to vent my feelings.

"He's more stubborn than a _mule_!" I screamed out loud, hoping that yelling would get rid of my frustrations. "I'll never speak to Edward ever again!"

"Did you say the name 'Edward'?"

I heard soft _plunk_s behind me, feet barely touching the ground. Only demons could be that quiet and still speak. I froze, my head automatically ducking down in a vain effort to protect myself, and reluctantly, jerkily, turned around to face the person.

An enormous wolf demon stood right behind me, hovering high above me. He was dressed in armor, like a human, but he was grossly oversized - his limbs were relatively proportioned, but his chest had ballooned out so much that his armor strained and groaned against his girth. His fangs were bared, and he salivated heavily as he stared at down me. I felt a shiver run through me as I took in his completely dilated red eyes. He was surrounded by other growling, normal wolves.

"I asked you a question," he growled.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

It took some time helping the old crone get into the cave, but Emmett was adamant that she be present, so by the time we made it inside, I was over it and ready to leave.

I pushed my hand into my stomach, trying not to make a sound as I fought off waves of pain. I wasn't bleeding anymore, which was always a good thing, but the pain had just gotten worse. My wound had scabbed over and the skin was still rough and inflexible. Every time I moved, I stretched it - causing it to break and create a stabbing pain in my abdomen.

As soon as we entered, I felt an overwhelming coldness, like an icicle being dragged up my spine while I was pressed down by a severe weight. I was used to the feeling by now, the cold anyway, because it meant that there was a demon nearby. That was there aura reacting with mine. But what could be that overbearing weight that seemed to press on me from all sides?

"Lady Irina, what is this?" asked Emmett, pointing with his staff at a place of the ground next to the far right wall of the cave. I tried to focus on the new conversation rather than the pain and weight. It probably wasn't anything important, anyway, if the others couldn't sense it.

The spot he'd indicated was bare, showing only the stone of the cave ground. Everywhere else was covered in moss, grass and all other kinds of pioneer plants come to take over this new dwelling. So why wasn't that spot covered over too?

"This one spot alone is free of grass and moss of any kind," Emmett pointed out. _Thank you for that genius statement, Captain Obvious, now can we start talking about something to _really_ distract me?_

The old witch's face had gone pale - well, really an ashy gray on her withered old skin, but still. She stared at the spot, her eyes scared and faraway, and for a split instant I saw her as the helpless child she used to be, back when Tanya and I had to protect her constantly. For some reason, seeing the memory of defending her against demons in my mind's eye, I was reminded of Bella. I shook my head, banishing that thought, and returned to the present. This was important, whatever it was.

"This... This is the same place where the paralyzed Keller rested!" she whispered hoarsely.

"Oh?" Emmett kneeled down, reaching out his cursed right hand as though to feel around the empty spot like a blind man.

In the blink of an eye, Emmett gave out a startled cry and jerked to his feet, covering his face with his robes as though to ward off a foul smell.

"I sense the spirit of a demon!" he informed us, backing away from the spot. "An entity which has been left behind here for decades!"

"Impossible!" the witch retorted, sounding terrified of the very thought. She glanced at the ground Emmett spoke of, as though the Keller guy still lay there.

Emmett reluctantly lowered his hand, also staring at the spot, his eyes suspicious. His look was matched by Irina's. Well, now I knew what the weight meant. On its own, the cold tingle meant a demon was nearby, but combined with this strange pressure - did it mean that this was the spirit of a dead demon?

"Could it be a _human_ that left this foul spirit behind, here where even grass refuses to grow?" Emmett queried openly.

"It was no human that left _that_ aura," I responded. "It's definitely that of a demon."

Emmett stared at me, his eyes lighting up with an idea as though he expected me to follow. "But how could a human like Keller have possessed such evil as would belong to a demon?"

"_HELP_! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

That was Seth's voice. We all raced outside - kind of forgetting Irina and her trouble to get out of the cave - to see Seth being chased by a pack of seemingly rabid wolves.

I pushed myself off the edge of the cave's steep side, using the momentum to increase my speed more quickly. I was at Seth's side in less than seconds, and had the wolves destroyed in even less than that.

I caught Seth as he took a flying leap at me, but I couldn't hold up my weight anymore. I'd just split a huge crack in my wound, and new blood was beginning to seep through my clothes. Groaning, I fell to one knee, still trying not to show my weakness.

Seth leaned away from me, trying to see my face, and asked sympathetically, "Are you still in pain?" He gasped, glancing down, and I could assume he was disgusted and shocked to find himself getting soaked with my blood. "You're chest!" he squeaked. "You're bleeding!"

But I had no time to worry about my wound reopening. The hideously over-muscular wolf-demon was standing in front of us, leaning forward to purposefully impose his enormous size. Good thing size wasn't everything.

"Might you be Edward?" he asked, his voice thick and groggy, as though he weren't quite sure of what he was saying or why he was saying it.

"That depends who's asking!" I snapped.

"I am the guardian of hell, Cerberus!"

Emmett and the crone had finally caught up to us as he spoke. Emmett kneeled down, using his knees for braces, as he panted for air. Irina, however, gasped at the demon's words or stature.

"Cerberus?" she asked, sounding stunned. "Are you not the gentle beast that guards the forest?"

"I am reborn!" the demon retorted, and then pointed an outstretched claw at me a little overdramatically. "Edward, I have come to slay you!"

He threw back his head, his chest puffing out, as though to take an enormous breath. Then, opening his mouth to what appeared to be the widest degree phsyically possible, he - threw up wolves?

Out of his opened mouth, a good ten or fifteen regular wolves leaped onto the ground, growling and barking at us. They came charging straight at me, somehow knowing I was their target, as though they were on the same brain wave as their master.

I scoffed, getting to my feet with a little effort. "'Good luck' is all I can say."

I sliced two of the wolves in half before I realized this could be a while - not to mention my wound was really bleeding now. I bent down and scooped up Seth, sprinting back a few paces to let the little nuisances come at me, and sliced my way out of them.

I heard Emmett taking on a few for me, probably to protect that old crone Irina or to help me out in my wounded state - or both. When it finally looked like we were getting somewhere, that goddamn Cerberus would puke out another ten or fifteen wolves. Disgusting, time-wasting, stinking _dog_.

"It's useless to fight me!" he jeered.

Emmett sighed, and I already knew where he was going with it.

"That leaves me only one choice," he muttered, stripping off his prayer beads. I grabbed tight to Seth's arm (while he flapped helplessly in the newly open Wind Tunnel) and dug my hand down into the ground for some added support.

Emmett stood in front of Irina, the wind whipping everything around violently, and just sucked up all the wolves that the fat bastard, Cerberus, had spit up. When all the wolves were vanquished, Emmett closed his fist and shouted, "Edward! Quickly! This way!"

"Not a chance!" the demon quipped, and - just for something new - threw up a good twenty more wolves. Didn't he have any other attacks? What a useless idiot.

I crouched down lower, preparing to fend off the rabid-looking wolves, but, like a flock of birds, they swerved and turned as one - heading for Emmett.

* * *

**James' POV**

The baboon costume I was forced to wear when I went out of my own home was cumbersome to say the least as I tried to scale the side of a tree, up into one of the higher branches.

But the view was worth it. Even from the distance I sat at, I could see that the damned half-breed Edward was weakening quickly, his wound from yesterday not even scabbed over. He had even resorted to taking assistance from mere humans!

And all because of my genius little plan. I hadn't even intended for this to happen when I enlisted myself as Peter's ally, but this skirmish was far more entertaining.

I laughed to myself, fiddling with my gathered jewel shards in my palm, mentally congratulating myself. It was a brilliant idea, indeed, imbedding a jewel shard in Cerberus. The ridiculous humans and that pitiful half-breed stood no chance against him. So long as he kept up the fight, of course.

Edward was foolishly defending his "friends," taking on as many of the wolves as he could. What on earth would possess him to do something so utterly stupid? He was injured, and badly at that. He should be saving himself. Not, of course, that I disliked his current tactics. It was all working to my favor anyway.

He wouldn't last much longer, that much was certain. He'd only slain about half the current pack of wolves before he groaned, falling to one knee. He was stubborn all right, but he was growing even weaker than normal - and that was saying something.

The others were taking notice of his struggles, and I laughed, amused by their useless antics. They might save themselves now, but sooner or later, I'd kill them - especially the half-breed. He deserved nothing better than a slow, painful death.

The monk had opened his Wind Tunnel again, and I had to pause to give myself another mental pat-on-the-back. Who knew the monk family I had cursed all those years ago would join up with the half-breed I so despised? I could kill them both without having to search at all. They would search for me, together, and I would kill them then. _Three_ birds with one stone.

Of course, then the monk had to come up with a clever little scheme. I frowned, watching him throw his staff at Cerberus as a distraction. The fool actually fell for it, too. He spent too much time flinching away from it in shock, trying to block the sharp end away from himself, when he should have been focusing on lopping off the monk's right hand.

It was too late. I took a breath to steady myself. There was no sense in getting angry over this. Cerberus had run away before the monk's Wind Tunnel and was nowhere to be seen. I knew where to find him, and I knew the only way to get him fighting again was to make him stronger.

What a pathetic coward.

* * *

**Seth's POV**

After the huge wolf demon had run away, the others ran over to Edward without wasting a tiny second. I hadn't realized he was so bad off until they started fussing over him. He made it seem like it was just a small cut, a mere hindrance.

"Are you all right, Edward?" Irina asked, crouching next to him.

Edward ignored her, growling, "Where's Cerberus?"

"He has fled."

Emmett slowly walked up behind Irina, his face dark. He seemed almost hesitant about something.

"Edward," he said reluctantly, "I sense that James is near."

"What?" Edward snapped, his attention on Emmett completely.

"Cerberus most likely has a jewel shard, and through it, is being manipulated by James."

"That would explain such a gentle creature turning evil," Irina conceded, her old body tense.

Edward got up and started walking towards the woods, which were quite a ways off now. His entire gait was actually... drunken. As though he were becoming delirious from his own pain, emotional and physical.

The others cried out and tried to stop him, but he kept walking on his dizzy tirade, calling frustratedly, "James! Where are you? Come out and face me!"

Almost before the words had completely left his mouth, he slumped, and fell face-first into the ground - utterly unconscious.

"Edward!" Irina and I cried out at the same time, running over to him.

After making sure he wasn't in any immediate, life-threatening danger, Irina, still kneeling by Edward's side, turned to Emmett and said urgently, "Monk, Cerberus may return for another attack. We should flee to the village at once and contemplate our next move."

Emmett nodded in agreement, and bent down to throw Edward's slack body over his shoulder. I flinched, watching the way even Emmett couldn't be gentle enough in our haste.

Was I wrong? Had Edward been telling the truth when he meant things were too dangerous for us now? Had he sent Bella away for truly selfless reasons?

And I'd been such a jerk to him! He had to pull through, so I'd have some way to apologize! I'd even take more of his stupid punches and name-calling and taunting if it meant he forgave me for judging him. He was obviously as messed up over Bella's departure as I was.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

During gym class, I tried to stay over by the fence of the baseball field, out of the way of the serious players. I'd be more a liability than an asset on any team, my grade be damned. MY teachers knew me better by now, and allowed me to stand out for games like this. It wasn't an issue of getting a good grade or participation, it was averting potential serious damage to my classmates.

But, unfortunately, this extra time of doing nothing left me ample time to think. And what had been the only thing on my mind? Edward.

I sighed, leaning my head back on the uncomfortable flimsy metal. It had been _three days_ already. Why hadn't he come for me? He couldn't have been serious about never wanting to see me again, could he? No matter how bad we'd fought in the past, he'd always ended up coming for me, if only out of irritation. He... His injuries couldn't have been _that_ bad, could they?

"Bella!"

I shook my head, wrenching myself out of my morbid thoughts. Jessica, Lauren, and Angela were coming over to me, Lauren slightly out of breath after she'd completed her run around the diamond.

"Guess what?" Lauren enthused as they approached, and I mentally steeled myself for a list of whatever else had just 'made her day.' I'd already had to listen to two different spiels under the same name today.

"Mike's been looking everywhere for you!" Angela chirped, smiling at me.

I repressed a groan. I knew I wasn't exactly 'boy-literate' but did he have to _stalk_ me? If I'd wanted to talk to him, I would have! Well, I _did _want to talk to him, but I didn't know how. And I was always busy what with the feudal era and Edward and all.

_Dammit, Edward! Even when you're not around you're controlling my social life!_

I walked over to where Mike stood waiting, determinedly ignoring my annoying conscious that said it felt like I was cheating on Edward. We weren't a couple, and I had no rights to him. What rights did he have to me and my friends? None. Exactly.

"So how've you been feeling, Bella?" he asked sympathetically as I parked it next to him. "Any better?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said, feeling intensely awkward for not knowing something 'cooler' to say.

His sudden grin was so bright I felt like I needed sunglasses to keep looking him in the face. "Hey, great!" he said, with a little more gusto than I would have thought necessary for someone you barely knew feeling better. "Then how about going to the movies with me this Saturday?"

_Suck my_ what_?_

"Th-This Saturday?" I repeated nervously, trying to hedge until I found a polite way to say 'no.'

"Sure," he said. "It'll be a nice change from studying." He blinked, suddenly anxious. "Or have you made other plans already?"

"No, not exactly," I hesitated. Edward would come for me by Saturday, wouldn't he?

"Just say 'yes' already!" I heard a familiar voice whisper behind me.

I turned around to see all three of my so-called friends crouched behind a little bat-holder thing, listening to Mike's and my every word.

"I mean, you totally blew him off last time you agreed to go on a date," Jess continued shamelessly.

"How d'you know that?" Mike and I said at the same time, and, in my case, blushing hotly.

They got up and swarmed around me, giving Mike a quick, "Excuse us; won't be long!" before dragging me off out of his hearing distance.

"What?" I snapped angrily. Not only had they just made a complete fool out of me in front of Mike, but they'd also just announced to half our gym class at large that I'd blown off the guy. Wasn't this what they called a 'pity date' I was about to agree to?

"You've got the hots for some other guy, don't you, Bella?" Jess hissed.

I flinched, glaring at the ground as I felt my cheeks hit ninth-circle-level heat.

"That explains all the sighs coming from you lately!" Angela said, most unhelpfully, sounding surprised.

"I didn't _think_ you were memorizing Chemistry equations," Lauren muttered in agreement.

"Hang on a minute!" I blew up angrily, but my temper tantrum deflated as fast as it had started. How was I supposed to act? Like his hug didn't matter to me? It scared the hell out of me, shocked me more than anything, and... all right, all right, so I liked it! SUE ME.

"A_ha_!" Jessica cried triumphantly. "You love _him_, but he doesn't love _you_!"

I wanted to laugh hysterically. "Oh, give me a break!" I nearly shouted. "Who could ever love that selfish, arrogant jerk?"

It seemed I wasn't as quiet as I'd hoped - though it looked like I might have made Jess wet her freaking pants in shock.

"Who's she talking about?" Mike asked Lauren a few feet off from us.

"I don't know," Lauren returned, utterly bored and uncaring.

Still furious with these ridiculous accusations that I loved Edward - even liking him was pushing it too far at the moment - I walked determinedly up to Mike and said, "You're on. I'll go to the movies with you."

"That's great!"

After school, I stomped straight down to the well, without even saying hello to Mom and Grandma yet.

I glared at it, debating whether or not to try and go back again. I knew I'd most likely get rejected again, and I certainly didn't want to look needy, so it was a tough question for me.

I shook my head. Why should I care whether or not he wanted me back there? Who the hell did he think he was, trying to rule my life? I could live on my own perfectly, thank you very much! I didn't need him!

...But I wanted to see him again. I hated to admit it, but I missed him. A lot more than I would have thought possible. And Seth and Emmett and Irina. I missed them all. Why should Edward get to decide that I couldn't see them ever again?

Determination restarted, I lowered myself down over the side of the well and let go, free-falling towards the bottom. I landed on the front of my feet, my knees bent, squatting down. A sharp flare of pain in the back of my right thigh told me I'd just successfully pulled a muscle. Yippy.

I sighed. _I hope he's at least getting a good rest..._

* * *

**Edward's POV**

_My hands may be tied, you fuckers, but I ain't down for the count yet!_

I threw all my weight into my legs, kicking at the wooden door - the door Irina and Emmett, my so-called friends, had locked, and then sealed with spells and shit so that nothing else could get in.

They wanted me to 'heal.' What the hell good was healing when it was just to lose James, whose death was currently the purpose of my goddamn existence?

"Open UP!" I yelled, trying one last time with the same results.

"You're wasting your time and energy, Edward," Seth informed me calmly, leaning back agaisnt the hay stacked against the wall. "This hut is plastered with charms to keep the demons out."

"Yeah, but who says I need to be sealed _inside_? OPEN _UP_!"

"Please stop, Edward."

I froze, my whole body going taut in a second. I think my heart even stopped beating for a moment there. That was Bella's voice.

"Be still and rest," she went on. I turned around, and if I hadn't been convinced before I sure as hell was now: I'd lost my ever-loving mind. I was freaking hallucinating now, and I'd had the stupid idea to conjure Bella here next to me. "Your injury still hasn't had enough time to heal."

"Bella...?"

I sat up, only then noticing the enormous fluffy tail.

Seth's voice giggled and bubbled up out of _his_ illusion's (who was now in a completely humiliating pose of part-begging, part-seducing) mouth.

"I could lie with you if you like..." he went on.

I shuddered at the very thought of what this maniacal runt could do. And in my own embarrassment: I was the one who'd fallen for the trick in the first place.

"Seth, you creep..." I growled. I struck out, kicking at him with my still-free legs. "Yeah, laugh it up, fuzzball! Don't you _ever_ disguise yourself like that again!"

"I was only trying to cheer you up!" he whined, returning to his normal state.

The door opened behind me, but I ignored it, already knowing who it was, and continued my assault on the annoying pest that had just made a complete fool out of me.

"You've been banging around in here for hours now," Emmett sighed.

"Yeah! So hurry up and untie me!" I quipped back.

"Demons would get you, thus the sealed hut would be meaningless," he returned, as sedate and slow-speaking as though I were a backwards child in need of special attention and speech.

I growled, flipping over onto my stomach and bending my knees so that my toes could touch the ground. Kicking myself off the ground that way, I launched myself straight at Emmett, hoping to just get out of the damned one-room hut.

Of course he easily pinned me to the ground with his staff on my forehead. _He_ had the use of all four limbs, and therefore better coordination.

"Lady Irina, would you please seal the door with the charm?" he asked, smugly calm. I wanted to smack the smirk right off his face.

Eventually, I wore them down to wear they agreed to untie my hands - if _I_ agreed to let Irina rub some sick-smelling salve on my back wound. Bored and trying to look like it didn't hurt, I threw my arms under my head and rested my chin on them, glaring at the wall like it was the source of all my problems.

"You mustn't rush things, Edward," Emmett informed me placidly, seated comfortably to my left. "I am inclined to want to rush after James as well, but first, you must recover from your injuries."

"He speaks the truth," came the crone's old voice from somewhere behind me. Her hands stopped rubbing the sickly crap on my back while she spoke. "James' powers are almost beyond comprehension. Isn't that precisely why you banished Bella to her own world?"

I flinched involuntarily. Did she have to make it sound so... evil? "Banished"? I sent her away for her own protection, dammit, not because I didn't want her here.

"We need you to recover quickly, for we must face James at our strongest," Emmett concluded. "Otherwise, I fear that our fates will be short-lived."

I sat up furiously, glaring at him. "Stop talking like a weakling!" I snapped. "_I'm_ ready to fight James anytime!"

Emmett rolled his eyes, looking at me with a patience that conjured up the image of a teacher speaking to a backwards child again. "Just put your head down and try to get yourself some rest."

He looked as though he wanted to kill me - or at least give me great bodily harm - rather than talk soothingly to me, and as night was already settling around us, I decided to just let them win for once.

I promptly flopped over on my side, my head at the rear of the hut, my feet jutting out towards the door, and shut my eyes. Irina and Emmett, seeing that I was going to give in, left shortly after. I waited in silence, but there was no noise except Seth scuffling down from his seat up on the hay to lay curled up into my side.

I hadn't realized I'd dozed off until Seth spoke quietly, jerking me out of my sleep-induced haze.

"Edward? You awake?"

"What is it?" I asked, trying not to let my irritation seep into my voice.

"...I was thinking about Bella." I felt my body go tense. Could we not go _ten minutes_ without mentioning her? Did she rule our goddamn lives now? "I wonder how she's doing, and if she misses us?"

Before I could stop myself, I growled low, under my breath. I made my voice as harsh as possible. "You woke me up for _that_? Just forget about Bella, she's a thing of the past - I mean, the future."

I could feel his eyes boring into my face, but I refused to open mine. I couldn't let him see the emotions I knew he would there, especially when he was the only one who really thought I'd done a bad thing sending her away. I'd rather have that image to tend to than this protector-of-the-weak crap Emmett and Irina seemed to regard me as.

I sighed, readjusting to a more comfortable position.

As long as she was alive and well somewhere... it was all I could hope for. I couldn't bear to see another woman die.

* * *

**James' POV**

The sobbing of the idiotic wolf-demon grew louder and more intense the further into the woods I traveled. What a pitiful wreck.

"I've been looking for you, Cerberus," I said when I came to a stop beside him. He was crouched at the base of a large tree, sobbing into his hands, his fear or his ragged breaths causing tremors to run through him.

He froze at the sound of my voice, and instinctively threw his arms over his head, as though that would protect him from me if I'd wanted to hurt him. When he realized what he'd done and its futility, he lowered his arms and said shakily, "J-James!" Then he pushed himself back, scrabbling to get away from me. "Go away! I refuse to fight Edward again!"

"Why do you tremble so?" I asked, trying to keep the sneer out of my voice.

"I don't want to be sucked into the Wind Tunnel," he snapped, trying to calm his convulsions. "Just go away!"

I laughed slightly. This was precisely how I'd gotten to him in the first place. "I shall take away the fear that is making you tremble," I promised, showing him one of my larger shards of the Sacred Jewel.

"No, please, stop!"

Huh. We'd see who wanted to fight and who wanted to stop once the second jewel shard was imbedded in his forehead along with the other.

I tossed the shard into the air, catching it with the same hand but on a horizontal streak like a spear, and then closed my fist over it. I blew air into one side of my fist, and the jewel shard shot out of the other like a bullet, aimed straight for his forehead. It was too quick for him to stop.

Within mere seconds, his sobs and trembles had become roars and slashes. He grew in size once more, his armor straining against his new girth, and appeared to go half mad. He ran right for me, but I dodged with plenty of time to spare. Even with two jewel shards he was not quick enough to match the speed of a vampire.

He ran through the forest, growling and roaring as he did, blindly hacking down anything in his path, until he reached a cliff jutting out from the woods.

He threw up his arms, baying at the moon, as though asking for help to resist the power of a tainted shard. But there was no escape from such a thing except to be cut down, once the shard was fully digested.

He was now more wolf-like than ever, not looking like a helpless little red fox puppy. His eyes were now bright yellow, his body lean and muscular even for all it was enormous, and his claws were at least twice as long. I smirked. Perfect.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

Lady Irina and I sat outside the hut, behind the barrier we had erected. It was ridiculously traditional, having drawn lines in the ground and everything humanly - and perhaps not-so-humanly - possible to protect Edward in his weakened state. With our combined strength, the barrier made us invisible to anyone outside, and it would dissipate immediately if one of us were to lose our concentration and stop praying.

Even so, with all our focusing and praying, both of us could feel evil coming. There was complete and total silence around us - none of the typical animal activity one would expect on a warm spring night like this.

I felt an evil presence coming at us from the front, different and at the same time the same as the one I had sensed rolling off Cerberus in black waves. It was him, no doubt, but something had changed. He was more beast-like, and decidedly more evil.

"Lady Irina, stay on guard," I warned. "It's coming."

She nodded, her own eyes opening, completely unsurprised. I knew I hadn't even had to tell her that. She was a priestess, after all, and therefore had much the same 'spiritual' powers I did. She'd probably sensed Cerberus about the same time I had.

A pack of barking, growling wolves came careening around the corner and barreling down the street, straight for us. It was unnerving to say the least, facing them head-on without moving.

"He won't come a step further!" the priestess declared, and I nodded my agreement.

The wolves crashed into our barrier, the raw energies of their assault and our defense colliding so strongly it produced static lightning. The wolves, caught up in the blasts, were instantly killed. I felt a bit of pity for the innocent creatures, but they were following orders with a single-mindedness that was frightening. They couldn't have been allowed to continue. Especially not with Edward in his current state.

An enormous foot smashed the ground right in front of us, and I had to physically force myself to stay focused on the task at hand, and not my pure shock. But how could he have grown so huge overnight? He was literally a monster now, more wolf-like than ever, standing over at a height I'd not imagined could exist. I doubted the oldest trees in the forests surrounding us would have come to his shoulders.

"Edward," he growled, salivating excessively in his fury and anticipation. "Where are you?"

He looked around, and for a moment, his bright golden eyes rested right on the hut behind Lady Irina and I. It was disconcerting to know he still couldn't see us all, even while he stared right at us.

"He's come back!" I heard Seth's petrified voice squeak from the hut. "And he's even bigger than last time!"

"Where are you, Edward?"

He continued looking around, straining his eyes, all in vain. As long as the priestess' and my spell remained unbroken in its focus, the hut and the rest of us would remain invisible. What could have caused such a transformation in him, though? I'd be willing to bet he'd got himself another Sacred Jewel shard.

Cerberus reached forward, and his paws landed on the barrier. Because he wasn't trying to force his way through with those paws, they were permitted to just rest there, giving him a tentative idea of where we all were. He pushed his face forward, and this time, because he was being intrusive, the barrier rejected him with a flash of white-hot lightning. Not deterred in the slightest, the demon refused to let his paws come off the barrier, and instead kept trying to nose his way through - literally.

Before I'd even realized what had happened, a dark, low voice sneered, "What a pitiful defense," and suddenly a spear came flying out of the forest, aimed straight for Lady Irina. And there was the one thing our barrier didn't protect: Lady Irina and I, from anything physical. Who could have known that? How could we stop it without revealing ourselves?

We couldn't.

"No!" I gasped, already prepared to give up our hiding place.

"Don't move!" Lady Irina commanded flatly, barely opening her eyes to glare at me.

"I have no choice!"

I jumped up, barely reaching my staff out to knock the spear off course in time. It was a docile attack compared with everything else the both of us had seen, but it had accomplished its mission: as soon as I'd jumped out of my position and stopped praying, the barrier disappeared and the hut became visible to the demon.

"_There_ you are!"

Cerberus jumped into the air before I could even register his movements, and came crashing down, fists at the front, right onto Edward's hut. The entire one-room building was reduced to nothing more than a pile of rubble.

"Edward!" Lady Irina and I called out in synchronized horror.

There was a flash like metal hitting the sunlight, and Cerberus recoiled, growling in pain as blood spurted from his head.

Edward landed on the ground as gracefully as ever, but I could see through his mask: he'd landed crouched down, one of his knees hitting the dirt, before straightening back up. It was the only sign he let escape of how weakened he truly was. Edward never let himself touch the ground, not unless he'd been thrown there.

"I owe you one, Cerberus, for getting me out of that hut," Edward commented, as calmly as though he were discussing the weather with an old acquaintance. "Where my so-called _friends, _the monk and that hag, sealed me up!"

Lady Irina's face fell into a mask of resigned disbelief. "For your protection, I might add," she interceded flatly.

"Gratitude doesn't come naturally to him," I informed her, my tone mirroring hers.

"I have heard _enough_!" the monster bellowed, pounding his fist down at Edward. There was one benefit from him being so large: he was incredibly slow. Especially compared to Edward, who was not only smaller, but much faster than any normal person. Edward leapt up into the air, out of the way with time to spare.

"Then let's get at it!" Edward countered, bringing his sword down over his head, aimed for the giant demon's head.

Cerberus caught the blade between his bare hands, and then threw Edward and the sword a good hundred feet away - with minimal effort. I couldn't help but cringe at the sound Edward's body hitting the ground made. A few more hits like that, and he'd be done before he even got started.

Lady Irina gasped, crying out, "Edward's been thrown to the ground!"

While I could see that easily enough without narrations, it was also plain to see how much Edward was already struggling. Usually he could take a move like that a few times and come bouncing right back up like it didn't bother him. This time, he lay on the ground, and - though he was obviously trying to be silent - I could hear his groans of pain.

"He may have the will to fight, but his strength hasn't had time to recover yet," I agreed.

Edward managed to push himself over onto one side, glaring at Cerberus the whole time. "How the hell'd he get so strong...?" he muttered to himself.

Something glinted so brightly, we all had to close our eyes momentarily. When I opened mine again, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. There, falling to the ground as harmlessly as a pearl, was the necklace at the Sacred Jewel dangling from it. It hit the ground with a soft _plink_, and rolled away a few paces as docile as a normal rock.

That was all it took to break our momentary spell of silence.

"A giant fragment of the Sacred Jewel!" the demon roared delightedly, charging for it. He ran like he was suddenly moving through water, and a lot of it at that. His whole body slowed down slightly, and his tongue lolled out of his mouth like a dog's.

Edward, using the Fang like a mere cane, tried to hobble over to the jewel before Cerberus - but something beat them both there.

Just as the demon came to a stop before the necklace, a flash of light brown whizzed past, stopping at Cerberus' feet only long enough to pick up the jewel.

It was Seth.

He kept running as fast as he could, hollering over his shoulder, "Hands off, demon!"

"You won't get away!" the monster promised, and did his disgusting trick of producing wolves out of his mouth. They all chased after Seth with a frightening single-mindedness, and their speed wasn't anything to be sneezed at either.

I knew he wasn't going to be getting away from them.

I immediately yanked off the prayer beads holding in my Wind Tunnel and, keeping my fist closed momentarily, shouted, "Seth, grab onto something! I'll open my Wind Tunnel!"

No sooner had the words left my mouth, than an ominous buzzing sound came from just behind us. Lady Irina gasped and turned, crying out, "Look!"

I turned, and was met with what seemed like an army of James' giant bugs. His giant _poisonous _bugs.

"James' venemous insects," I muttered, tasting something awful and bitter in mouth as I did.

They all stopped, their beady eyes on me, waiting to see what I would do. I hesitated, and then wrapped my hand back in the beads. _Forgive me, Seth._ I couldn't take another chance with them, not like last time. Especially with Bella and her remedies not here to save me.

Edward, far to calm for someone in a position like us, rolled his eyes and grumbled, "It figures. Now how do we get ourselves outta _this_ one?"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

There was some crappy TV program playing that Mom claimed she was listening to as she went about making lunch. I was reading a magazine, sprawled out on the living room floor. It felt so weird doing it, too.

Whenever I came home these days, I always had a purpose - and a set time frame. It was usually for some test or other, or to save my decimated attendance record. I almost always spent my time here taking as many baths as I could, sleeping in my bed, and studying until my eyes wanted to fall out.

And now I didn't have anything to do. No tests coming up in school to frighten me into cramming. No demons to fight. No homework. No nothing. And it really freaking sucked.

The phone rang, and Grandma got up from her seat on the recliner to get it. I could hear her in the kitchen talking to whoever it was on the other end.

"Hello, Swan residence. ... Oh, so good of you to call at a time like this! ... It's her back."

You have got to be kidding me. _I'M RIGHT HERE_.

I jumped up to my feet, hearing, "She's put her back out again and as taken to her bed" as I stomped over to her.

Grandma froze, looking at me like I had six eyes. "And _who_ pulled her back?" I asked sarcastically. Shaking my head, I reached over for the phone. "Give me that."

I took the phone with me back into the living room, and spent the next fifteen minutes trying to explain to Jess that I really was fine and no, Grandma wasn't insane. I had to come up with the asinine excuse that she was just worried because I'd been complaining about my back earlier.

But did that stop Grandma? Hell no.

Not a half an hour later, the phone rang again. Thinking it couldn't be one of my friends, I left it to whoever wanted to answer it. Grandma made it there first again.

"Oh, she's having problems with her diabetes this week..."

As soon as the word "she" had come out of Grandma's mouth, I was already on my feet. I snatched the phone out of her hands, and stalked off for a repeat of the conversation I'd had with Jess. Only it was a little easier that time with Lauren because I could be having problems with my diabetes - if I had it - and not be in serious condition. I mean, I could have just lost that insulin reader thing, right? It didn't sound like she completely fell for it, but it got her off my back for about an hour.

And then the phone rang again.

This time, I was there before the word, "rheumatism" was completely out of Grandma's mouth.

I snatched the phone away, snapping, "Would you give it a rest already, Grandma? Why would a girl my age have _rheumatism_? If you've got make something up, at least make it believable! Something like mono or chicken pox, if it comes to that."

"I don't want to tell lies, either!" Grandma shot back, on the defensive immediately. "Besides, I'm doing you a favor acting as your personal secretary every time you go off to the Feudal Era. And what I say _is_ valid!"

I threw my hands up in exasperation, nearly shouting, "But why do you gotta make stuff up when I'm standing right _here_?"

She froze for a second, and then eyed me suspiciously out of the corner of her eye.

"Come to think of it," she said, her tone now speculative and concerned, "why _are_ you here? You usually rush off to the other side on the weekends playing Super Hero - which is why I was answering the phone."

I felt my face heat up in embarrassment, and turned away. Did they all have to wonder why I was here?

"I can stay here once in a while without having to explain myself, can't I?" I snapped, my embarrassment making me lash out. "This _is_ the time period I belong in, after all."

I tossed the phone back over my shoulder at her, stomping off. I passed Eric's room on my way out the door, and couldn't help but lash out at him too. He was playing video games on the TV in the living room, not bothering anybody, but it seemed to bother me. I felt like crap about it afterwards, of course, but at the time...

"Eric! Don't you have something better to do? Why don't you go outside and find a human to interact with?"

_"Hey, great! Then how about going to the movies with me this Saturday?"_

_"Th-This Saturday?"_

_"You've got the hots for some other guy, don't you, Bella?"_

As I shut the front door behind me, I heard Eric's game shout out, "Game over! Better luck next time!"

It was already Saturday, and Edward still hadn't shown up to drag me off the Feudal Era. Not that I wouldn't be perfectly willing to go by now. I just... He hadn't meant what he'd said, had he? He couldn't have! How else was he going to get the shards of the jewel?

I glanced up, noticing that I had somehow gravitated off my path to the concrete steps and towards the well house without even noticing. I sighed to myself. I had a bit of time before my date with Mike anyway. I could spend a few more minutes to myself.

I opened the well door and stepped inside slowly, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. For some reason, I felt weak going down to the well. Like I was just sitting around waiting for Edward. Well, I wasn't! It was our property, I had every right to be down there! Besides, it wasn't like I was worried about Edward or anything...

Before I even knew what I was doing, I was climbing down the rope ladder I'd hung over the side of the well recently. When I jumped off and landed at the bottom of the well, I stomped the ground a little bit, as though to get whoever might be on the other side's attention.

"I've got a date today, so don't expect me to wait around!" I shouted at the ground.

My temper fled as fast as it had come. Who was I fooling? I was worried out of my mind.

* * *

**Seth's POV**

I'd lost track of how long I'd been running, but I knew my legs were starting to feel the burn as I rounded another corner and went headlong into Edward's Forest. The wolves were starting to gain on me.

When I came around the trunk of another enormous tree, I found myself in the clearing with Bella's well. The tree was still sticking out the top of it, making the wood of the well creak and groan in protest as it strained against the bulk, but nothing had broken so far.

Using up my last surge of energy, I jumped forward as far as I could, and landed facing the wolves, my back to the well. The whole pack gathered around me in a large half-circle, growling and salivating. It really would have made me ashamed to be part animal, watching these dogs drool all over themselves, if I hadn't been so scared out of my mind.

I reached into one of my many hidden pockets on the inside of my shirt, grabbing a few of my special illusion leaves.

I tossed them up into the air, scattering them as I yelled, "Split Image!"

Immediately, every leaf became a copy of me. While the wolves were distracted with those, I jumped down the well, hiding among the trees and branches of the tree. I heard the sounds of my illusions popping. I wasn't very skilled yet, so my illusions didn't last long.

Eventually, the wolves figured out I'd gotten away, and I heard their growls restart. Cowering down among the branches, I accidentally put too much pressure from my weight on one, and it broke, snapping back and hitting me in the face.

I covered my mouth, trying not to make noise, even as I fell back in pain. The Sacred Jewel bounced out of my shirt, landing on the ground of the well beside me.

Suddenly, the well was filled with a bright pink light. I hoped the wolves didn't see it, because it was coming right from the jewel. It was almost like the jewel was calling for something... or someone.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I had left the well house and was making my way down the stairs when I felt it. I froze, turning to look back up at our family's property, trying to see if I was just imagining things.

I wasn't. It was faint, but I definitely felt the pull of a Sacred Jewel shard. It was like it was calling me right to it.

I ran back to the well house, almost hoping it was Edward. Once I'd jumped down into the darkness and let my eyes adjust enough to show me there was nothing down the well, I wanted to kick myself.

There was nothing there, and I wasn't even sure I felt that pull anymore. Besides, I had a date to go on today. I couldn't be rushing off to the feudal era every time I felt like it. I'd made a promise.

Oh my god! The date! I was going to be late now!

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

Cerberus wasn't even fighting anymore! At least, not himself. He just kept spitting up more and more wolves to do his dirty work for him: to wear us down until we couldn't defend ourselves against him. Not to mention, to keep us distracted until his other pack got Seth.

I tried to take out as many poisonous bugs as I could, while Edward kept cutting away the wolves. I knew that once those annoying bugs were out of the way, I could simply open up my Wind Tunnel and have all this over with.

James seemed to know that, too. More insects flew in by the droves for every ten or so that I killed.

After doing a particularly convoluted slice at the wolves, Edward landed harshly on his knees, and I was momentarily distracted from my own task. Cerberus had rejoined the fight, and punched out at Edward with unparalleled strength, but poor speed.

Even so, Edward barely managed to dodge.

The monster came back with another downward plunge of a fist, and Edward just managed to escape it in time. He wasn't doing well, though, and he wasn't bothering to hide it so much anymore.

As he landed, he sort of doubled over, groaning as he held his stomach. Peter's wound had reopened, and he was bleeding quite fiercely. If this didn't end soon, he might just bleed to death.

Cerberus made a mad swipe with his open palm, hoping to just smash Edward into the trees, but Edward dodged that, too. Or so it looked. One of Cerberus' claws caught on Edward's shirt, and in the end, tossed him to the side with the same effect of the monster's original plan.

And this time, when he hit the ground, it took him a few moments to gather up the strength to even move. Let alone get up.

"Edward!" Lady Irina called out in worry.

"He usually fights back so easily," I said out loud.

She nodded, sighing, "His wounds hinder him indeed, but the true problem lies with Bella. Without her, he's unable to realize his true power."

Taking advantage of Edward's prone position and what seemed to be his inability to move from it, Cerberus attacked with his fist again. Edward jumped out of the way just in time, and the monster's hand hit the ground and dug a crater from its sheer strength and momentum.

And he was just getting started.

Edward landed over beside Irina and I, and I said, "Cerberus is definitely using the power of a Sacred Jewel shard."

"What?" Edward snapped, whipping around to face me.

In his distraction, Cerberus jumped and landed, listerally, right in front of him. It was beyond frightening to see that Edward didn't even reach the demon's knee.

"Find where the shard is, and you can defeat him!" I shouted.

Lady Irina sighed again. "Bella would know where its hidden."

Edward growled under his breath, and then retorted in an icy tone, "Forget about her. Bella's not here anymore. I closed up the well that connected her world to ours. Sh-She will never return here again. I won't stand for it anymore! _Bella will never see these dangerous battles again!_"

Lady Irina and I both stood back, mouths hanging open in shock. Why did it seem like he was talking more to himself than to us? And when did he get so fiercely protective of Bella?

Cerberus spat out a good twelve more wolves, and, seeming to be grateful for the distraction, Edward jumped headlong among them, clawing them out visciously.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Some weird pop song was playing overhead, and there were couples all around us. So far, it was pretty damn boring. And besides, I was too pissed off to really notice my surroundings. I picked up my soda, and took a long, rough pull from the straw, my frustration seeping into my movements.

God, Edward made me so mad sometimes! Always interfering when I've got tests to cram for and classes to make up...

"Bella?"

I looked up, surprised to see Mike's somewhat confused, mostly hurt and concerned expression. I raised an eyebrow, silently telling him to continue.

"Are you, um, mad at me or something?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" I asked, laughing as though the very idea was ridiculous. Even though, in reality, I was a little peeved that he wasn't doing much.

_Get over it, girl! You're on a date with the hottest junior at school! Why bother thinking of that idiot at such a time?_

"So, what were we talking about?" I asked, trying to start some conversation.

"Bella," he sighed, as though he knew what I was thinking and didn't like it. "Is this too hard for you? Are you forcing yourself?"

I froze. Well... I might have been forcing myself, but it wasn't to go on a date with Mike. It had nothing to do with him - and everything to do with that jerk, Edward. I couldn't stop thinking about him, even if he was an insensitive creep... Was I being too proud? He injured my vanity by holding me only to get something off me, and now I can't let it go?

"Oh, don't be silly," I tried to laugh it off. He didn't look like he was buying it.

"I can tell what's going on here, you know," he informed me, going completely serious.

"Mike... it's nothing like that," I floundered, feeling my cheeks heat up. Edward meant nothing to me! But, because of him, did I look like some slut to Mike now? I was so going to kill Edward if I ever saw him again.

"You've forced yourself here for my sake, even though you don't feel well," Mike surmised, completely throwing me a curveball. I literally fell over in shock. Staring at me in shock, Mike explained, "Your grandmother told me you had the flu."

_I don't believe this! Grandma, you told Mike, too? Open your eyes, people, do I LOOK sick to you?_

And what about Edward's wounds? Was he giving them enough time to heal before rushing off to do something stupid? I doubted it. I gasped before I even realized it. What if he'd gone and gotten himself into worse condition? What if he'd...? But I couldn't even think the word.

I was on my feet and halfway out the door before I knew what I was even doing.

"Sorry, Mike!" I said hurriedly, grabbing up my purse. "Ask me out again. I've got to go now. I'll make it up to you!"

And, without stopping to give myself time to consider what I was actually doing - and all the implications therein - I ran all the way home, not stopping until I was standing right in front of the well.

I flung my purse off my shoulder, onto the ground beside it, and jumped over the edge. I was already prepared to be rejected by the well, so I was ready when I hit the solid ground. I managed to sort of roll and tuck my legs underneath me, keeping my momentum, so I took the fall in stride and didn't hurt myself at all.

I could feel it again, much stronger now that I was so close. There was definitely a shard of the Sacred Jewel inside the well. But I couldn't see anything in the darkness in the well.

I shut my eyes, focusing all my attention on the spot where I felt the pull the strongest. I reached out blindly, putting my hand right over the area where I was sure I felt the jewel shard. But there was nothing there. Where was it?

Could it have been buried?

I started shoveling the earth away with my hands, like a kid digging a 'pool' at the beach. Eventually, it got a few inches deep, but I still couldn't find the jewel shard. Still, the pull I felt from it was only getting stronger the deeper I dug. I had to have been getting closer.

I pulled away one last handful in each hand, and suddenly, everything changed. A bright pink light started shining throughout the well, the bottom opened up, allowing me into the Feudal Era, and I was holding something solid, cold, and round in my hand. Whatever I held was the source of the light. It had to be...

I brought my fist to my face, opening it only when I was sure I wouldn't drop it. I was right. Nestling into the palm of my hand, my fragment of the Sacred Jewel glittered like a docile gem, it's necklace still attached.

I landed on the hard ground of the other well bottom, hardly noticing. How in the world had I gotten hold of the jewel shard again?

Someone or something whimpered beside me, and I glanced away from my palm curiously. Seth was sitting right beside me, staring at me as though I had grown another head.

"Seth!" I said, partially in recognition, and partly to snap him out of the daze he seemed to be in.

It worked. At the sound of my voice, the shock instantly fled his little face, replaced by a blazing smile. He charged right into my arms, laughing and crying at the same time, chanting my name over and over. "Bella! Bella! Bella!" As though he didn't dare hope I'd really come back.

I laughed, hoping he'd stop that. "I don't know how, but I made it back."

A fierce growling overhead signaled the end of our conversation. Tilting my head back, I glanced up the trunk of the tree that had been jammed so kindly down the well, to see about a dozen wolves crawling down it like evil, growling spiders. With much larger and sharper fangs.

And Seth and I were trapped in a three-by-three well with nowhere to go.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

It seemed like this would be the end for us.

We were all trapped, our backs to one another in a little triangle, wolves surrounding us on all sides except the side Edward faced, which Cerberus occupied himself. There was no way out, and Edward was too exhausted and wounded to be of much more use. The poisonous insects floated overhead in swarms, meaning no Wind Tunnel. We were running out of options and energy fast.

Suddenly, Edward's head whipped around in a completely random direction, back toward Irina's village, his eyes wide with shock.

"Bella's scent!"

"What?" Lady Irina and I asked at the same time, turning to face him. How in the world had she returned? Well, she was here now and she could help us find the jewel shard in Cerberus and end this crap.

"It's Bella! I'm sure of it! I'd know her scent anywhere!" Edward announced, immediately running off in that direction.

Cerberus went to punch him again, his movements still sluggish, shouting, "You will not escape!"

"Care to wager on that?" Edward retorted, dodging easily. He jumped up into the air, getting level with the monster's face, and then kicked out harshly. The demon's whole head was spun to the right as a result, and he fell to his knees, groaning in pain.

Edward landed on the ground again, staying still only briefly before drawing his sword. "Don't even think of getting in my way!" he shouted, making a cut right across Cerberus' chest.

Suddenly, everything seemed easy to him. He was meeting, if not exceeding, the monster's skills now. Cerberus fell back, groaning again.

"His strength has returned!" I cheered to Lady Irina, watching the monster make his slightly dramatic descent.

There was a streak of red to my left as Edward practically flew right past me.

I whirled around, shouting in disbelief, "Come back! Finish him off before you go to her!"

Behind me, Cerberus' growls had grown unbelievably furious. He took painstakingly hesitant stomps after Edward, moving at snail's pace compared to the half-vampire, but still quick enough that he was still in the running. And very upset that he had been brushed off.

I jumped out of the way before he crushed me underfoot, and Lady Irina and I ran along behind him as we tried to catch up to Edward.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Wolves were surrounding the well, baring their teeth at it like it was a threat all its own, but from the growls I could hear down it, there were several already down the tree. I heard Seth whimper in fear.

"What's going on out there, Seth?"

That was Bella's voice. Really her, this time. The idiot!

"Edward's wound still isn't healed. The demon's determined to take advantage of his weakness."

I ljumped slightly, landing on the wood of the well. I threw out my hands, digging my claws into the tree, and pulled with all the strength I had left in me. Once I had a good hold, I jumped up, using my momentum to lift the enormous tree over my head, the wolves falling out of it like fall leaves.

There came a loud sound like was partly growling, partly screaming, and, still airborne, I turned and threw the very heavy tree right into the demon's mouth. There was an emormous boom, as the freak fell back on the ground, his grunts of pain the only sounds marring the eerie silence. The wolves around him literally turned to dust once he fell unconscious.

I heard the other two in the well scrambling up the side like it was their last chance at life, while I let myself free-fall back to the ground. From there, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. My adrenaline rush made everything seem so sluggish.

Bella heaved herself over the side of the well, Seth right behind her, and looked up at me like I was some kind of god who'd come down from heaven specifically to save her stupid ass... And I was the idiot that felt his heart racing at the mere sight of her. What the hell was wrong with me?

I felt my feet touch the ground almost as if I were in a freaky dream, and took the landing much easier than I had been moments before. I only had to bend my knees slightly and the entire impact was absorbed. She stood up, taking a few uncertain steps toward me, still looking shell-shocked.

I shook myself mentally, and made like I was furious. Which, in a sense, I was. "What are _you_ doing here? I told you to stay away!"

I froze, unable to move like a freaking mouse caught in the gaze of a snake. Bella practically flew at me, throwing her arms around my neck and holding on to me like I was her lifeline. I could only stand there, completely stunned. No hugging her back - I couldn't even push her away. _Yep. I'm a total jackass._

She turned her head slightly, her face nuzzling into my chest as she said, "I was sure you'd died, 'cause you didn't come back for me this time."

_And now I'm an officially fucked jackass. _What fool couldn't be totally ashamed of himself hearing that?

"You should've listened," I insisted, trying to keep up my facade. "I told you to not come back!"

Why couldn't she understand? It didn't matter to me _where_ she was - I just wanted her to be safe. Was that a fucking crime now?

She pushed herself away, her hands still gripping my shirt in tiny fists, and looked up at me. I flinched when I saw she had tears in her eyes. I hated it when girls cried around me. It made me feel like the worst kind of jerk in the world.

"I couldn't help it!" she defended herself. "I needed to see you again!"

...Needed to see me? _Me?_

Her eyebrows came together in a look of sudden frustration - or angerI wasn't quite sure. I was still more than a little stunned.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded. "Didn't you want to see me, too?" Her hands dropped and I flinched. How the fuck had a moment like that been reduced to _this_ in mere seconds? Women! "I spent all that time worried about you - and for what? You didn't even care that I was gone!" She turned away slightly, hiding her face in her hands. And cue the water works... Kill me now, please? "You don't understand a thing!"

Personally, my mind was reeling from all these new developments. Bella was back. Bella was happy to see me. Bella said she risked seriously pissing me off because she needed to see me again. Bella nearly bit my head off for not immediately falling over myself returning my devotion. Bella was now crying into her hands. I could do with an explanation.

And then I made yet another mistake: I opened my mouth and let whatever words came out come, without thinking any of them through. Yes, I'm an idiot, I realize this.

"C'mon, Bella, stop the tears! D-Don't be sad over something so small!"

Her hands lowered a bit so I could see her eyes - and I immediately wished she'd kept on crying, no matter how hard it was to hear. She was glaring at me as though she hoped daggers would spring from her corneas and murder me on the spot.

Before I even realized what happened, she'd thrown her hands on her hips and started screaming at me.

"Who said anything about being _sad_? I'm crying out of _frustration_!"

From the well, I could hear Seth comment in disbelief, "Thirty seconds together, and they're _already_ fighting! ...Still, guess I should count my blessings that things have returned to normal."

I could hardly focus on anything. Bella - she must have been premenstrual or something because she was just being _ridiculous_ - refused to be calmed down, and refused to even look at me after this alarming interlude. She turned her face away from me childishly, and wouldn't acknowledge a word I said, even when I started dishing out insults just to get a rise out of her.

* * *

**James' POV**

I ran forward, my speed making the wildlife around me scurry in fright, and hid among the trees and bushes at the front of the forest. The monk stepped out of the trees opposite me, the old priestess behind him, and smiled.

"Bella has returned," he murmured delightedly to himself before calling over his shoulder, "Lady Irina, Bella is back!"

The old woman, staring off down the path back towards her pathetic excuse for a village, didn't answer. The lines on her withered face had deepened, and she frowned suspiciously. Without even realizing what I was doing, I slunk back, further blending myself in with the shadows.

"My Lady... did you not hear me?"

"Monk... do ye not think it strange?"

"What's that?"

"The droves of venemous insects have disappeared."

"...You're right..."

Fools.

Bored, I turned away, leaving them to their suspicious, futile pondering.

I looked towards the well, where that ignorant half-breed, Edward, seemed to be trying to win the attentions of a rather attractive brown-haired girl, who resolutely refused to look at him. At least someone around here had some sense.

I froze, unconsciouly leaning forward for a better glimpse of the girl's half-turned-away face. The resemblance was beyond a doubt.

_That young woman... She is Tanya?_

I shook my head, frowning. No, she couldn't be. Tanya died fifty years ago. I had personally seen to that.

But then... why? Why couldn't I see through her powers, into her mind? I was by no means a mind reader, but people of power - any kind of power - all had one thing in common: look past their specific gifts, and their motive was plain as day. She should have been just like all the others.

The monk wanted his Wind Tunnel removed, and quite possibly revenge for his father and grandfather.

The half-breed wanted revenge for Tanya.

The haggard priestess wanted nothing more than to aid the younger ones surrounding her, and to lay her sister to rest once and for all.

Even the baby fox demon's desires were clear to me: he just wanted a family, which he found in the girl.

Only her... She was the only one I couldn't see through. Could it be her powers were so great they were obscuring her mind from me? No... she appeared rather fragile, especially compared to someone of Tanya's caliber. Did she truly not have a purpose here? I doubted that. Had she not, the well wouldn't have allowed her through. So what, then...?

I'd lost track of my quarry in my thoughts, and realized too late that the young woman that had held me fascinated for a few brief moments had sensed my presence - and was alerting the others to it.

"Someone's near... Someone with shards of the jewel." The half-breed and monk looked up, startled, although I had to admit Edward didn't seem surprised at the announcement - more at the girl. "Lots of them!"

They needed no further inclination, and neither did I.

They charged after me, or in the direction they assumed I waited, and I turned and fled.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Though I'd detected a nearby scent that I wasn't quite familiar with, I hadn't thought it would be James. Not until Bella had announced the presence of a lot of jewel shards.

The idiot I chased was either mocking me, or just stupid. Wearing a baboon costume? Really? Did he honestly believe that that would obscure his identity? If anything, it only made him more of an easy target.

Jumping up into the canopy of trees, I used a long, thick branch as leverage and propelled myself forward, landing on the ground in a clearing just a few feet away from the freak. He stopped, sensing that I wasn't about to let him just walk away, and I stared at him, feeling so much hatred surge through me in that moment, I was almost literally seeing red.

This was the man who had caused Tanya and I to kill one another. This was the man who had expended so much time and energy into fueling a grudge between two people, one of whom he didn't even know.

And he just stood there, _smirking _about it.

"I sensed that you weren't far away," I said, my voice coming out with more growls than I'd intended. Fighting to bring myself back under control, I stood up straight and stated more than asked, "You're James, aren't you?"

The fake baboon head bowed, once again blocking the human-looking mouth from my view. I knew from his smell that he was anything but human. He was like Peter, a vampire.

He said nothing.

Emmett came barreling through the trees and bushes at that moment, and came to rest, glaring at the figure in between us, breathing slightly heavy.

"At last I've found you," I went on.

"James," Emmett growled in recognition, as Bella, the old hag, and Seth pushed their way through the bushes behind him to join our little powwow.

"Answer me one thing before I avenge Tanya's death," I snapped. "What grudge do you have against me?"

"Good question," the baboon-man-freak responded, in a slow, deep, gravelly-voiced drawl. He scoffed in amusement. "I suppose you can't rest in peace not knowing why someone despises you so much."

The olg hag stepped forward, her one good eye going wide with horror and amazement.

"You are..." she gasped.

"Irina," the baboon-clad man responded, a cruel humor in his voice. He laughed once again, and the sound was derisive. "Age has not been kind to you."

"You know me?" she returned, steely determined. I didn't know for what, though. _I_ was going to be the one fighting here. "I knew it. You are Keller!"

"Keller..." he repeated, almost nostalgically. He chuckled rather sinisterly. "That name brings back such fond memories... No. I am James, one without a family name. Yet it cannot be denied that I was borne out of James Keller fifty years ago. Keller was a foolish human. He began to foster impure desires for the kind-hearted young priestess who nursed him. Eventually, he succumbed to his weakness and called forth the demons..."

_"My soul is rancid to the core, yet it still holds some value. Feast on my flesh. I must possess my former mobility... in order to possess the Sacred Jewel and Tanya. Feast on me, demons. Devour me! And in exchange, bestow me with your mobility and strength!"_

"Among those demons was a vampire," James continued, jerking me out of the story. "He used Keller and all the other demons, with himself, and formed the perfect body. Immortal, powerful, and alluring. That is how the many demons merged into one being and created the demon James... myself. It required countless demons to create this flawless body and strenghth." He hesitated, chuckling, and I swore blood red eyes cut to me behind his mask. "Because the priestess had been reduced to a powerless girl, the region teemed with demons. Her power had all but vanished because she had fallen in love with a worthless half-breed."

I couldn't stop the growl of rage and pain from issuing from me. How dare he blame me for his murder!

He ignored me quite calmly.

"She submitted to her childish desires, and attempted to use the Sacred Jewel for her own purposes. For that, she was punished. And Edward, you suffered the punishment as well."

_"Die, Edward!"_

_"Fool! I have no desire _whatsoever _to become human. But I shall take the Sacred Jewel nonetheless. Thanks. This jewel is about to absorb a great deal of pain and suffering when I use it to slaughter the villagers."_

"You bastard!" I growled. It was all because of him! All my pain, all Tanya's suffering... "You are to blame for everything that happened! You deceived Tanya and I. You tricked us into trying to kill one another!"

He stared at me with a calm indifference, then said sardonically, "Then tell me something. How is it that the trust you held for each other was so easily destroyed?"

I froze, considering that question. Did that mean... Tanya and I...? I shook my head quickly, banishing the thoughts. "What are you saying?"

"The truth is," he said, his voice nearly quivering in sadistic amusement, "it was _anger_. Bitter anger set you against one another. _That _is the true legacy of the trust you supposedly held for one another. Even Tanya could not understand it. She should have chosen to live and use the power of the Sacred Jewel to save herself. Instead, she chose death. Had she pleaded for her life, her pathetic, wretched wish would have easily been granted. Then she would have understood the ultimate truth of darkness."

It took everything I had not to rip his throat out then and there. But I still needed to hear the truth, the reason we had ended up the way we had, and so I forced myself to keep still - to listen to this barbaric asshole.

"Such a foolish woman. The Sacred Jewel grows even more beautiful when it is tainted with malice."

By the end of this so-called explanation, I was literally shaking with the effort to not destroy him.

_That _was the reason we were set against one another? This was the grand master plan? _So that he could have a 'beautiful,' evil Sacred Jewel?_

"Bella!" I snapped, barely noticing how she flinched at my tone. "How many shards do you see inside him?"

She refocused on the demon, her eyes getting wider by the second. "Ten... No, twenty... No, much more than even that!"

I couldn't keep the smug smirk off my face. Two birds with one stone, and all that.

"Hey, James," I called, regaining his attention. It was kind of unnerving, the way he looked at Bella. "I'll show you what 'tainted' is. I'll make the filthy blood in your body flow like a goddamned river if that's what it takes!"

I sprang after him, the strength and speed of my immortal half automatically blending and fusing with the heart-rate and adrenaline of my human half. But he was still too fast. Just a few scant moments before I reached him, he shot straight up into the air, clearing the tops of the trees surrounding us with the sheer power in his legs.

I jumped up after him, but, of course, wasn't able to go near as high on my own. I used a particularly thick tree branch as a second launch pad, and used my momentum to charge him, even in air.

Despite everything, he still eluded me. My nails only just caught the ridiculous costume and shredded it off him. Thank God he was wearing clothes underneath it, or I might have lost from flaming retinas.

He hid his face with the loose sleeve of his navy-blue shirt, but I could still just make him out. He was about the same height as me, give or take a few inches, slimly built, with shaggy black hair. He wore incredibly fancy clothes, possibly meaning that his latest human disguise was that of a nobleman.

But what really held my attention was the black cloud that was suddenly building around him, swirling and massing together like a heavy, angry raincloud.

Then, almost without warning, the monster flung out his arms, revealing his own face - but only for a split instant. The second his arms were oustretched, as though he were physically pushing them, the masses of his black cloud spread out in an explosion of darkness.

I could hardly see anything through the mile of gas, but that was the least of my worries. Coughing and choking, I realized the full implication of the swirling gases around me, killing everything living thing within its circumference. More of his poison gas, his miasma.

As we fell to the ground, right in the thickest of the miasma, the trees around us turned gray, their leaves falling off. The grass just below us turned black before disintegrating altogether. Emmett nearly threw Bella and Irina over his shoulders, as he sprinted away from the gas.

Still hiding his face, James and I hit the ground a little roughly, but not jarringly. The darkness of the gases made it nearly impossible to see him, but I could hear him and his stupid smug attitude. He thought he'd killed me.

"So you've sunken into my miasma..."

I grabbed the hilt of my Fang, and yanked it out of its sheath almost roughly. It transformed instantly, the miasma immediately swarming around it in dark swirls. When I brought the sword down from above my head, as though to cut some invisble opponent, the miasma flew in the same direction, right at James, and away from me and the others.

"Impossible!" I heard James whisper, rather hoarsely. It seemed even he couldn't withstand the miasma for very long.

I jumped off the ground a few feet, trying to get a better view of James, and found him with his back to me, walking away from me like the coward he was.

I charged after him, sword at the ready, but he noticed me too soon. He took one big step forward, but it was at such speed, that my Fang could only barely catch the neck of his shirt, ripping it off of him.

I froze. There, in the middle of his shoulder blades, were third-degree burn marks in the perfect shape of an enormous black-widow spider.

James stopped walking and the the miasma swirl around his feet, picking up momentum and gathering force like a coming tornado. It was all I could do to brace myself against the gale of winds trying to take me along for the ride.

Then, as suddenly as it had all begun, it was over. The thick cloud of miasma had disappeared with its user, leaving an enormous crater of destruction around the spot I now stood in.

Despite all the obvious eartly scarring that had been done here, and all the innocent wildlife that had been killed as a result, my mind only registered two things; two things that it kept repeating blankly, as though it was unable to comprehend.

James was gone.

And I had been too weak, and too slow, to get my revenge.

"NO! COME BACK AND FIGHT ME!"

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

"A spider on its back?" Irina asked, bewildered.

"Yes," I answered pensively. "According to Edward, there was a spider-shaped burn mark in the middle of James' back."

"The thief Keller suffered from terrible burns," she mused, holding her hands behind her own back. "Perhaps that is proof that James is Keller."

I sighed, staring at my cursed right hand. "A spider on his back... That shall serve as James' own telltale sign."

* * *

**Edward's POV**

As we all stood discussing the possible moves to take from here on out, I froze, hearing a strange sort of grinding noise coming from the well. When I looked over, I was actually surprised to see Cerberus still there, chewing away at the tree I'd shoved in his mouth with fervor.

"H-He's still alive!" Seth squeaked fearfully, but I rolled my eyes. Obviously, though still alive, this demon was weak beyond measure.

The tree, sawed away in his mouth until he could spit it out, fell to the ground with a BOOM, but apparently Cerberus wasn't done with his bellowing and scene-causing.

"My... head...!" he groaned, getting louder with every word, whether from his agony or a desire for attention, I wasn't sure. "It's SPLITTING!"

He started thrashing about madly, groping for his forehead. I dimly heard Bella gasp before I realized she was running right at the beast.

With a snort, I launched myself ahead of her and landed just in time to obstruct her from her path. "Idiot! Do you _want _to die?"

She ignored me, literally leaning around me so that she could see the demon without interference. The nerve!

Cerberus was starting to go crazy on his jewel shard again, his eyes bulging and his mouth salivating excessively.

"Um... can I remove that for you?" Bella asked him timidly, and I almost wanted to smack some sense into her literally. She really did have a death wish, didn't she?

"It's no use! Only James can... can find...!"

Well this idiot had obviously never heard of Bella, one of two of the only priestesses powerful enough to sense jewel shards. She reached out determinedly, if naively, and grabbed the jewel right out of his forehead while he stared at her in complete bewilderment.

His expression swiftly dropped into stunned admiration, and I wanted to slap the look right off his stupid wolfy face.

"I... I'm SAVED!" He bowed profusely for Bella before saying, "Sorry for all the trouble. See ya!"

Then, without another word, he went riproaring off into the woods.

"HEY!" I roared after him, automatically following. "Do you think you can just walk away after all that?"

Emmett's stupid staff fell in front of me, blocking my path. I could have easily pushed him aside, but I respected him too much to do that. Not enough to stop myself from clobbering him if he acted like an idiot, but for now it was good.

"Let him go," he commanded. "He was only being manipulated by James, remember. To punish him further would be cruel."

At the mention of James, all my thoughts were instantly redirected. I jumped up into a nearby tree, needing to sort through some of the more confusing ones.

That asshole had killed Tanya - twice, as a matter of fact - and I swore to myself then and there that I would hunt him down, to the ends of the earth if necessary, and avenge her. I sighed. After all, it was the only thing left I still could do for her...

Down below me, I could hear Seth badmouthing me to Bella.

"What a jerk! You came all the way back from your world to see him, and he's rolling himself up into a ball!"

"It's all right, Seth," she admonished slightly, making me want to cringe in self-hate. How could anyone be so forgiving, so self-effacing? It was downright inhuman to place so little value in yourself. "He's probably remembering Tanya." There was a slight hesitation. "Maybe it _is _better if I'm not here..."

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what was this? Oh, _hell _no. Not this shit again.

"Bella - where are you going?"

"Don't worry... Just going for a walk."

_Yeah, right, 'a walk' she says. And when she disappears for a few days and everyone's out of their minds with worry that'll be her lame-ass excuse?_

Besides, I still had to tell her how I felt about this shit. She'd practically bared her soul to me earlier, while I just stood there like a gaping idiot. I needed to tell her my side, too, so she'd... I don't fucking know, so she'd know what my side of this was. ...So she wouldn't leave me...

By the time I'd caught up with her, she was already sitting on the side of the decimated well, preparing to jump in. I winced when I saw the condition of the well, and knew that while she was gone I'd have to fix it. Give me something to do, at least.

"Hey."

She whirled around faster than I'd ever seen her move. I vaguely wondered what must have been on her mind to make her so jumpy.

"Are you leaving... already?" I asked, feeling more idiotic by the second. She didn't answer, and I didn't expect her to. The answer was kind of obvious. "Will you come back again?"

"What?" she blustered, staring at me in pure shock and bewilderment. "What do you mean? And why are you looking at me like that?"

I had no idea what expression my face currently sported, so I decided to ignore that question and elaborate on her first one.

And it was embarrassing as hell, but I needed to get it out in the open.

"It's just... uh... I thought it would be better if you were far away, from all the danger here, I mean... but... then, when I saw your face... somehow, I felt... inspired." _Not quite like Tanya, but still..._ "Then I realized... I actually _did _want you near me."

And, even though I couldn't forget Tanya, I'd never spoken truer words in my life.

* * *

**Again, sorry for the long update. Been really busy lately. Hope this makes up for it!**

**Coming soon:**

**A family calls on the group to aid a dying woman, by protecting her from a demon that has been attacking weakened villagers. It turns out that this blood-thirsty demon is none other than a vengeful priestess! No one can sooth her anger and sorrow. Wait - a vengeful priestess? Could she be Tanya? If it is her, what do they do? How do you defeat a demon you're in love with?**

**Next time: "Bella's Voice and Tanya's Kiss"**


	19. Bella's Voice and Tanya's Kiss

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**So here's the next chapter. There isn't so much physical fighting in this as romantic angst. And said angst only really occurs between three prime characters.**

**Any questions, ask in your review!**

**Chapter Summary**: Tanya is alive! A vampire had tried to control her soul, but only succeeded in reviving it. Now, Tanya wanders the land of the living. Her body is hard as stone, and holds no warmth. Her eyes are cold and dark. And now, Tanya has a plot to kill Edward! Doesn't she know that Edward isn't her enemy?

* * *

_I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh_  
_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away_  
_I keep your photograph, and I know it serves me well_  
_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

"Broken," Seether feat. Amy Lee

* * *

19. Bella's Voice and Tanya's Kiss

So Far_: "A spider on his back?" - "Yes. According to Edward, there was a spider-shaped burn mark in the center of James' back." - "The thief, Keller, suffered from terrible burns. Perhaps that proves that James is Keller." - "A spider on his back... That shall serve as James' own telltale sign." - "Tanya didn't even consider using the power of the Sacred Jewel to save herself..." - "Tanya chose death... She chose to follow Edward."_

**Bella's POV**

Emmett led us all around the countryside, mumbling things about 'incredible strength' and 'never felt anything like it.' Eventually, we came to a stop outside what had to be the biggest mansion in the province - and Edward groaned out loud, knowing exactly why.

"This mansion is _enormous_!" Seth sqeaked appreciatively. And it was true. The "mansion" was more like a small palace.

"What do you think, Emmett?" I asked, leaning against my bike to take some weight off my throbbing knees. "Will we be staying here for the night?"

Edward snorted and turned away, crossing his arms sulkily. "I'll wager that Emmett tells the owners an 'ominous cloud' hangs over the place."

Emmett, who had ignored all of us as his eyes roved over the mansion's grounds speculatively, immediately turned to give Edward a piercing look over his shoulder.

"You're mistaken," he said with finality, no emotion in his voice but sincerity. "I have a legitimate reason for coming here."

Less than ten minutes later - after Emmett convinced the guards outside the mansion that we were a rag-tag team of demon-slaying experts that had come to aid them - we were sitting in the parlor of the lord's room, trying not to look impatient while said lord sobbed his way through his 'tragic tale.'

I couldn't even understand most of what he said, and, seeming to realize that the rest of us normal humans with normal hearing would need a translation, Edward rephrased, "You mean there's a blood-drinking demon out there, preying only on sick people?"

"Yes," the man responded, wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his elaborate attire. He sniffled. "As though our young Lady being so ill wasn't hard enough to deal with. To have her die in such a way on top of everything..."

"No such thing will occur," Emmett said calmly, breaking the man off before he could resume his totally unmanly crying. "Rest assured that my associates and I will protect her without fail."

Seth and I glanced at each other - Edward scoffed and looked away - completely bewildered. Sure, Emmett was a nice guy and all, but he didn't usually go out of his way to help someone in need unless there was something in it for him.

...That question was solved not even another ten minutes later, when we were led into the dining hall and given a feast to put an entire carnival's worth of food to shame.

"What'd I tell ya?" Edward asked, leaning back in his chair next to mine. "Same old line, same old unwarranted feast."

"Perhaps," Emmett replied loftily, sticking his nose in the air, his eyes closed. "But one cannot wage a battle with a demon on an empty stomach." He leaned forward conspiratorially, hissing so that any eavesdroppers couldn't overhear, "Besides, haven't you noticed? It's far, far too quiet here for a mansion of this size."

And as soon as he mentioned it, I did notice. Where were all the servants? I realized a good deal of them had to have gone into helping prepare for our rather unnecessary feast, but where were the rest? Emmett was right, a mansion of this size should have been teeming with people yet - besides the serving maids helping with our food - the place was barren of people.

And the people that were around were pale-faced and silent. One demon couldn't scare them this much, could it? It was just a demon, even if it did seem to be a vampire or something similar.

* * *

**Monk's POV**

My apprentice and I hid in the shadows of several birch trees, watching as the cleverly disguised demon frolicked with some of the village children in the flower fields.

She had chosen her disguise well, and carried it out flawlessly. To all untrained eyes, she appeared no more than a beautiful, dark-haired, dark-eyed priestess, kind and gentle. But anyone who knew what to look for would have seen the immense, black demonic aura surrounding her. She was evil.

The three children pranced around her, oblivious to the danger they might be in, giggling delightedly at the priestess' attention on them. They scattered about, looking for all kinds of medicinal herbs the 'priestess' had told them about.

The littlest of the three, a young girl of about five years old, gasped happily and plucked some white-blossomed flowers from the ground. She turned, waving the flowers above her head, calling, "Lady Tanya! Lady Tanya, I found some!"

The demon turned and smiled at the girl, but I could see the reservation in her eyes. She was obviously fighting something, perhaps a more evil instinct, and it was costing her. But she stayed calm in front of the children, and examined what the little girl ran over to show her.

"Look, look! Isn't this a medicinal herb?"

"Yes, well done, Sarra," the demon-false-woman praised. "It's called a lantern plant, and it's used to reduce swelling."

"Lady Tanya! Lady Tanya! Hey, what are these?" the excited little boy ran up, his arms overflowing with white flowers.

The other little girl joined them quickly, holding out a hand to demonstrate her own finds. "Do these grasses cure anything?"

The demoness laughed and bent down, saying, "Let's see..."

The rest of the conversation was lost to me as my apprentice interrupted with a quavering, "Master... are you certain that the young priestess is a demon? She looks nothing more than a human to my eyes."

"Then your eyes lack in training," I snapped, not taking my eyes of the demoness and her band of babes. They sat down in a small circle by the lakeside, discussing their finds. "Can you not sense it? This area resonates with a sinister evil -"

"Excuse me, Monk."

I froze. My apprentice abruptly tripped and fell to the ground. The children gasped in surprise and turned. The demoness turned and regarded me casually - _cockily _- over her shoulder.

"You've been watching us for quite some time now."

I chuckled nervously, deciding that to avoid the question - and the demon - would only result in a chase. I tipped my hat to her and came out of the shadows and safety of the trees. My apprentice followed me obsequiously.

"How very awkward," I tried to laugh off. I began walking towards her, gaining more confidence with every step she did not immediately attack. "You perceived us, did you? Well, your beauty is so remarkable, I could not help but stare at you."

"Spare me your flattery." Her voice had suddenly gone rather cold, and I stopped dead in my tracks, changing my plan. The sacred scroll should work on this one, and it would get the children out of harm's way...

I started walking towards her again, laughing. "Apparently, my etiquette is in sore need of refinement. I -" I let out a gasp, and made myself trip, the sacred scroll jarred from its pocket in my robes and fell to the ground at my feet, just in front of the demon and children. It was, altogether, an impressively convincing performance.

The demoness stared at me for a long moment before lowering her dark, inscrutable eyes to the scroll. I watched for a reaction, but none came - unless you counted the infinitesimal narrowing of her eyes. The air around us was suddenly tense and nervous, and even the children began to sense it.

The disguised demon just sat there, staring at me - smile most assuredly _gone _- without taking notice of the atmosphere.

"Gather the scroll for me, will you?" I asked. I knew she was well aware of what the scroll was and how it worked, so I decided to make her fidget a bit in front of her brood. "It is a sacred spell warding off evil. Should a demon of any kind touch it, it's true self will be revealed."

The 'priestess' assessed me for another long moment before she lowered her eyes once more to the scroll, a small, condescending smile on her face.

She reached out, picked it up, and rolled the scroll back into its protective sheath before steadily extending it to me.

She only said a swift, patronizing, "How fortunate we have such spells to protect us. Here you are."

I was frozen in place, my jaw hanging open in shock. What in the world was happening here? She'd touched the scroll, yet there was no transformation! I was certain she was a demon - the aura of malice around her was proof enough of that - but then, how was she so strong?

I reached out to take back the scroll - but the instant my fingers touched the end of it, it was as though an lightening strike burst through my body. It was as intense and painful as it was fast. The instant the demoness released the scroll into my hands with a pitying smirk, the pain stopped. When I regained myself, the demoness and her brood were still sitting there, staring at me. I was breathing a little shakily, winded from the sudden onslaught of pain, but the 'priestess' ignored it.

The demoness stood, gathering the flowers into her arms, and looked down to the children. "Now, let us go, shall we?" she asked with a pleasant, kind smile.

The children immediately sprang to their feet, and they walked away, not sparing me a second glance. Which was convenient, because I was once more frozen in place. I was afraid to even move for fear of inducing that pain again.

The scroll fell from my immobile fingers, fluttering open as it clattered to the ground. Finally, I gathered up the courage to move minutely, and put my hand over my pounding, racing heart. No pain came to me, and I relaxed a bit.

But what in the world had just happened? Some tremendous force passed through my body...

I glanced down to retrieve the scroll and reared back, gasping, "Impossible!"

My apprentice, certain now that the coast was clear, ran out to me with a swift, "What is the matter, Master?"

"Look at the scroll."

He did as I instructed, and gasped as I had. "The spell is gone!"

And he was absolutely correct: the parchment the spell had been written on was blank, as though there had never been words written there in its lifetime.

"She's completely erased it!" I concluded. A demon couldn't have done that... well, only a certain kind... I glanced back up at the receding figures of the demoness and children, shouting a patronizing, "Priestess!"

The children turned to look at me over their shoulders, but the demoness just stopped. She refused to turn to me.

I took a few steps forward, grinding out, "I know not what binds you to this world, but it is certainly not a place for you to linger. Return to where you belong!"

I had tried to pick my words carefully so that while the children would remain oblivious to my meaning, the beautiful demonesswould understand perfectly. She was one of the undead, and had no place in the land of the living. And from the way she flinched and resolutely refused to face me, she knew that too.

"What's he goin' on about?" the little boy griped, glaring at me.

"He's a strange monk," the older girl chimed in.

The littlest one looked curiously up at the undead woman who was at that moment grasping her hand, but said nothing.

_That woman is no ordinary demon. She is much, much stronger... and far more sinister_.

A vampire.

* * *

**Tanya's POV**

The children danced around me as we walked back into their village, completely unaware of what had just transpired. If that monk hadn't realized what I had become, he had no place being a monk. It was as obvious as the difference between night and day, though I tried my hardest to disguise that part of myself.

I had done a good job of it, too. In the last few weeks, I had taught myself restraint - it was shaky at best, but I knew to wait for a time now before feeding.

We were just walking past the farm fields when the villagers looked up. The sun was setting, so my skin wasn't nearly as vulnerable (though I wore so many clothes the sparkling issue wasn't much of a problem). Still, I was acutely aware of my freakish extra abilities.

The farmers still working were more than fifty feet away from us, yet I could hear their lowered voices as though they stood next to me and whispered it in my ear. The children heard nothing but the birdsong and crickets, of course.

"Look yonder, it's Lady Tanya."

"We're so lucky to have such a talented and kind priestess in our midst."

"Aye... She cures our ails and cheers the children."

"It is so. We are truly blessed."

If only it _were _so.

The vampire, Sasha, desired the spiritual powers of a priestess. So she robbed the bones and earth from my grave and, mixing it with her immortal venom, fired my new body in her kiln. The soul which had transmigrated into this body suited me very well.

A flash of memory momentarily overcame me. It was of Edward's face as I screamed at him, "Why did you betray me, Edward?"

_For a second time, you have asked me to die, Edward... So why do you look so sad? Is it because you pity me? Because you feel the heat from my hands? The heat of anger... the flames of vengeance?_

"Lady Tanya?" a voice interrupted my thoughts, followed by a soft tug at my sleeve. "Lady Tanya?"

I glanced down, surprised to find one child still with me. The others had gone home for dinner, but the one I loved best, the one who reminded me so much of Irina, had stayed with me.

She looked so forlorn and anxious, I couldn't help but be concerned.

"Sarra, what is it?"

"Lady Tanya, you will always stay here with us, won't you?"

If only that were even remotely in the realm of possibilities...

Still, I made my smile as gentle as possible, and bent down to look her in the eyes, resting a hand on her clothed shoulder so she wouldn't feel the temperature of my skin as strongly.

"Tell me, Sarra, are you fond of me?"

She nodded firmly, with a small, cute, "Uh-huh!"

This time my smile was genuine. "I'm glad," I informed her. "You are very dear to me, too... like a little sister."

She gasped delightedly, her wide brown eyes growing impossibly wider. "Truly?"

I nodded. She giggled and ran away towards her house, pausing at her threshold to wave goodbye to me one last time before disappearing into her home.

I stood up, sighing slightly at the restraint it took to not move with the freakish demonic speed I had recently acquired.

From my vantage point at the top of a rather steep hill, I had a view of the entire village. It was simple, peaceful, and quaint in the setting sun - so like my own left-behind village of a previous lifetime.

I could have lived here. Here in this village. I had trained myself to only hunt at night, far from this place, and only on the ill who would otherwise have died regardless. And my previous days spent as a true priestess had given me enough powers of purification now to prevent my eyes from shining red - they were a murky brown now. I _knew _I could do it, and be happy at it. But the real question was... would I be _permitted _to?

* * *

**Edward's POV**

This place really was as boring as I thought it'd be. It was already past midnight, and nothing had happened except the midget-fox falling asleep on my shoulder. After taking him and depositing him in our bedrooms, I went back into the chamber-room where the sick princess was sleeping.

Bella had known a word to describe the condition she was in, but I couldn't remember it. Comatic...? Comatosit? Comatose? Whatever it was, it meant that she was unresponsive, and most likely wouldn't recover without modern aid.

I had left Bella to watch the woman on her own while I perused the halls and dropped off Seth, checking for any - _any _- sign of potential action. To my extreme disappointment, there was none. And I'd been looking forward to burning off some steam and everything.

I opened the door to the bedchamber of the princess, announcing a apathetic, "Well, nothing out of the ordinary outside. Anything unusual in here?"

Bella looked up at me, her expression strange, but I couldn't pinpoint the problem exactly. Nervous... uncomfortable... scared? What the hell was there to be scared about?

"No," she answered, jerking me out of my thoughts. "So far everything's been good."

I nodded, shutting the door behind me, and plopped down to sit beside her. "Good. So where'd Emmett get to?"

She rolled her eyes, regaining some of her usual attitude. "There's another princess living here," she informed me in a monotone. "He was 'worried for her safety' and went to see her."

I scoffed. "Oh, suuure."

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

The ugly, old butler walked down the hall in front of me, trusting me so much that he didn't even watch my hands around all these rich belongings - not that I took anything. Our little group was rather well-off at the moment, and, anyway, I had better things to look forward to.

"The younger princess is petrified," the man was telling me, turning with his hand cupped around the candle that lit our way in the dark passages.

"Leave her - uh, I mean, _things _to me," I hastened to assure. "If she is anything like her sister, the younger princess must be a beauty beyond compare." I sighed happily. "Ahh, I love my job."

Seth, bouncing along on the floor next to me, stopped and glanced at me curiously. "Emmett... Am I gonna have to comfort the princess, too?"

I froze momentarily, having forgotten he was 'accompanying' me - _damn Bella and her insight._ Seth certainly wouldn't be hanging around long enough to be made witness to anything inappropriate... but perhaps I could put him to good work...

"Well, first we must do our best to lay her fears to rest," I said cautiously, trying to find a path between letting him believe he was important to this problem, but at the same time giving him a task to my advantage. "Perhaps you could transform into something cute and fuzzy?"

"What for?" he squeaked indignantly. _So like Edward... completely oblivious to the workings of the female mind..._

Touching my hand to my cheek in a completely feminine manner, I imitated, "'A _bunny_! I've always wanted to see one, up close!' You see?"

He blinked, staring at me like I'd grown another head.

"Uh, no, not really..."

I smirked a little, bending down so he could scramble onto my shoulder. "I'll explain it to you one day when you're old enough to talk man-to-man."

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Unfortunately, until they moved further away and what with my 'extra' hearing abilities, I was able to listen in on almost all Emmett's conversation with Seth and the butler.

"He's some player," I grumbled, shaking my head. He was supposed to be a monk, for Christ's sake. No one thought his lecheries were a bit _odd_? "Too bad he has everyone convinced he's a saint around here, otherwise I'd give him a good stomping."

Before I'd even finished my sentence, Bella - who had been nervously slinking closer to me the entire evening - literally pressed herself against my side, legs lined up and touching, almost disappearing into my shirt. I froze, not even breathing, and felt my face reach ninth-circle-level heat.

"Umm... Uhh... Isn't this a little close, Bella?"

"Deal with it; she's freakin' me out!" she hissed, grabbing my arm as she squeezed impossibly closer. Only now I noticed that her eyes hadn't once left the left-for-dead princess laying in her bed. "It's almost like she's gonna get up any minute now...!"

All the breath fled from me in big gust, and I instantly deflated, surprised to find myself feeling slightly disappointed. I eyed her in disbelief and asked flatly, "_That _was your motivation?"

"What else would it be...?" she returned, genuinely confused - until her eyes widened, her cheeks reddened, and she backed off a few inches. "Hey! Get your mind out of the gutter concentrate on what we're _supposed _to be doing!"

"G-Gutter? Yeah, as if! _You're _the one who came cuddlin' up to _me_!" I froze, realizing my mistake, and her eyes grew even wider in shock.

"So you _did _have your mind in the trash!"

"_I_ was minding my own business!"

"You _were _hitting on me!"

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

"Uh - I must take leave," I said hastily, trying to stand up and escape without being too obvious. This was definitely not what I'd signed up for. "Your sister requires my unwavering protection."

The younger sister collapsed against me, tugging at my robes in a clingy, needy way that I absolutely despised - in unattractive women, anyway.

"Please don't go, master monk! I'm so scared!"

"No one will come after you," I tried to reassure, "...I _guarantee _it."

"You are too cruel!" she tried to pout, leaving me wondering how some women could absolutely perfect such arts, and some - well, were they sick on that lesson day or what?

I glared at Seth, who just stood by, watching this whole procession with a satisfied smirk on his childish face. I was beginning to understand why Edward hit him so much.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Apparently now completely uncomfortable in my presence, Bella sat down again, this time several paces away from me. I didn't care. I was still fuming.

The nerve of the little witch! Come at me while I'm minding my own business and then blame me for it? What the hell?

The moonlight falling in through the windows on the wall opposite us was suddenly obstructed. A shadow fell across us.

So fast even I had trouble comprehending it, Bella had shrieked and was practically in my lap, trying to get away from whatever was outside. I guess I figured out what her main weakness was: anything to do with the dead, and she was scared beyond reason.

Tentatively, slightly afraid she'd hit me, I wrapped my arm around her waist, trying to comfort her momentarily before getting up. It was about time we saw some action.

The figure outside paused, as though trying to find out who else was in this room and how powerful we were. Apparently deciding we were too much trouble for the one girl, the figure blurred and disappeared altogether.

I jumped to my feet immediately, tearing after it to the lawn outside, Bella on my heels. There was no trace of whoever was just here, except for the smell: a vampire, and it had taken off into the woods to our left.

Just as we were about to track down the vampire, Emmett came careening around the corner, panting hard, waving his staff insanely, his robes in distinct disarray.

"Right! Let's go after it! Quickly!" he said hurriedly, launching himself over the railing that protected those on the balcony.

Seth rounded the corner next, and on his tail was a rather plain young woman - presumably the younger princess, judging by her clothes - who whined and catcalled to Emmett. Who in turn shrieked like a cornered, terrified woman and ran off towards the woods as though his life depended on it.

The woman fell to her knees, her arms stretching over the balcony after him, crying, "Master Monk! Please! Stay with me!"

Seth, avoiding her warily, jumped onto the railing's ledge just in front of Bella and I.

"Emmett having woman-troubles again?" I asked sarcastically.

Shooting a disgusted look at the princess, Seth hissed to us, "I think she may be a _demon _- not a woman at all!"

Giving a sudden shriek of realization, the princess fell at Seth's feet, scooping him up in a grip so tight I was sure he couldn't breathe.

"Oh, little fox! How can you treat me so?"

* * *

**Sarra's POV**

As my brothers and sister and mother and father all slept around me, I could not. I stared up at the thatched roof, my thoughts wandering to Lady Tanya, my knew best friend and most respected elder.

But she'd seemed so troubled by something. It must have been what that stupid monk told her before...

_"I know not what binds you to this world, but it is certainly not a place for you to linger. Return to where you belong!"_

Those words and Tanya's face as she stared off into the distance - so sad and lonely - haunted my mind in a neverending ring.

It was obvious I wasn't going to be getting much sleep tonight.

I froze, listening to the sound of extremely soft footsteps just outside the house. I got up, glancing out the window, and gasped. It was Tanya! Where was she going so late in the night? And why was she trying to be so quiet and unnoticeable?

I jumped to my feet, also trying to be quiet so as not to wake the others, and threw open the door. She was walking out of the village at a slow and steady pace, almost like she were in a trance. Where could she be going so late at night? Was she sleepwalking?

I followed her as she walked to the very lakeside meadow we had played in earlier this afternoon. She stopped by the waterside and stared out over the still glassy surface, still seeming dazed and unfocused. I hid behind a nearby tree to watch, my brow crinkling in concern.

She had said something very peculiar today... She couldn't be leaving our village for elsewhere!

As I watched, she reached up and grabbed one end of the white ribbon that held her masses of straight, dark brown hair in check. Her hair instantly fluffed out, gathering around her face, and she had never looked more beautiful to me.

She didn't even glance around before heading back to the bushes near the water, and I had to strain to see what she had bent over to grasp in her arms.

I nearly threw up - or fainted - or ran away screaming. Instead, I just stood there, trembling viciously, barely able to contain my instinct to express my fear vocally.

Lady Tanya held in her arms the body of a human girl. A young girl, probably only a little older than me.

And she was sucking the blood from a puncture wound in the girl's neck.

Lady Tanya was a monster - a vampire.

"Are you unable to cross over to the netherworld?" asked a semi-familiar voice. It was that monk again. But this time, his voice was soft, almost remorseful, and his apprentice hung back in the brambles, ducking his face. "You are dead, young priestess. You must now move on."

Lady Tanya didn't turn from the body, but she dropped it unceremoniously and said over her shoulder, "Would you not just overlook my presence here? I merely wish to live in peace in this village."

"If you wish to live in peace, then why must you drink the lifeblood of others?"

I had to admit, for as much as I didn't like the monk tormenting my lady, he had a point. If Tanya was undead - had probably already been dead before - why did she choose to remain here? Why not just move on and live peacefully where she belonged, as she said?

"...I have reasons."

The monk's voice went flat with barely suppressed anger. "You cannot sustain that body of yours without that lifeblood."

He held up a strange wooden ball that was carved all over with the image of a dragon - so that it looked like the dragon was the ball, coiled over and over again.

Lady Tanya finally turned her head to look at the monk as the ball started glowing. She eyed him confidently, if sadly, and said, "What action are you going to take? I take it you won't leave me."

"I will return you to where you belong! Please know that I do this for your own sake!"

The dragon-ball suddenly exploded with light - light that made a straight beeline for Lady Tanya, striking her harshly in her midsection. Lady Tanya braced herself against the impact, crying out in shock and pain, until the light began coiling around her like a tornado. Her body went straight and rigid, her eyes wide and blind - as though there really was a dragon there, and it was coiled around her, holding her in place tightly.

I gasped, my fingers digging into the bark of the tree. There really was a dragon there, and it really was holding her! One of its clawed paws held her throat in a vice-like grip. To my horror, Lady Tanya did not seem to be fighting back. Her face was shocked, yes, and sad, but she did not seem to have the will to fight.

"You cannot escape my Demon-Binding Spell!" the monk proclaimed, extending the ball that had started glowing again. "I shall extinguish your light and save your soul!"

Only then did Lady Tanya's expression change - and I promptly wished it hadn't. I had never seen such a beautiful woman look so ugly. Her face morphed into some evil-looking creature in its anger, her eyes flashing red.

"_Save _me?" she repeated incredulously, her voice bitingly mocking. Her eyes narrowed. "A wretch such as _you _presumes to save my soul?"

She suddenly glowed with a bright golden light and thrust out her arms - and then it was over.

It was all so fast that I had to take in everything after second and third glances. When she'd thrust out her arms and glowed like that, Lady Tanya had literally torn her captor dragon apart. The clawed paw that had been gripping her throat had been flung in the mayhem directly into the monk's own throat, one of the sharp talons piercing him right through. He coughed and gurgled and groaned for a a moment before falling to the ground, dead, his eyes wide with surprise.

The ball-dragon rolled out of his lifeless palm onto the ground and promptly splintered into hundreds of pieces. The apprentice shrieked and ran away.

I could only stand there, my breathing ragged, my eyes unable to be torn away from Tanya.

_Tanya... my favorite older person... the one I had wanted to be just like when I grew up... the one that had called me her little sister... had just murdered a man in cold blood - and hadn't even batted an eye at doing it._

Lady Tanya stepped forward, looking down at the dead man with a scary calmness.

She cocked an eyebrow condescendingly. "You wouldn't have died if you hadn't interfered."

Suddenly, the monk's hand shot out from his robes and gripped her ankle. He was still alive?

"Priestess..." he groaned in such a low voice that I had to lean forward to catch it. "What is your purpose here? ...Time continues for the living... They carve their futures with each passing moment... But... for the dead, such as yourself... Time stands still... Thus, the dead and the living _cannot _reside together... And yet... you insist on trying... How tragic..."

With that, he really did die. Tanya stood there, still staring at him with that calm indifference. I felt I had to leave or risk throwing myself into the lake and drowning myself - if only to escape the feelings of betrayal.

I stepped back a pace, hoping that if I eased back to the village Lady Tanya wouldn't hear me, but I had barely moved an inch before her head whipped around in my direction. Her eyes were narrowed and cold, and, most prominently, livid. At what, I didn't know.

"Who goes!" she snapped.

I literally tripped over myself in fear, unable to take my eyes off her. I couldn't imagine what I looked like, but I knew I was completely horrified that she could be so wonderful one moment, and so absolutely terrifying the next. Would she kill me now, too?

Instantly, upon recognizing me, Tanya's expression dropped into stunned sadness.

"Sarra... Were you...? Did you witness that?"

I couldn't answer. She would kill me now, for sure. I trembled, my breathing shaky, awaiting that inevitable fate.

She took a few steps forward until she stood right in front of me, and crouched down to my level.

"Sarra..."

She reached out for my face and I cringed back involuntarily. Who knew if she wanted to stroke my face or turn it so that she could access my throat better?

I felt her hand flee my face, but I refused to open my eyes. I didn't want to see my death coming at me. I just wanted to wake up when it was said and done.

"Forgive me," she whispered after a long moment of silence. "I did not mean for you to see such a sight."

I hunched my shoulders and drew my arms in, my last effort at protecting myself against what would surely end my life. And so I waited.

Nothing happened.

When I opened my eyes, Tanya was across the field, her back to me as she slowly walked away, her body rigid with barely suppressed stress.

"Wait, Lady Tanya!" I called impulsively, jumping to my feet.

She stopped in her tracks, and looked at me over her shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was heavy with grief, regret, and pain. It made my heart hurt just to hear it.

"Farewell, Sarra. Please forgive me."

And with that, she kept on walking, never turning back to me, her dark hair spilling down and billowing until it - and her entire body - blended and dissolved into the night itself.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

After Edward and I had finally located a suitable location - on the rocky shore overlooking a rushing river - Bella whipped out her special blanket and foodstuffs for what she called a 'pick-a-nick' or something.

She laid out that bright blue blanket - on which Edward and I promptly sat - and laid out a veritable buffet of bags of foods. Seth, perched atop Bella's 'bookbag,' sucked happily away at his his 'lollipop.' Edward refused to eat anything, but I sipped away at the surprisingly bubbly liquid Bella called 'soda.'

"Come on," Bella urged for the umpteenth time that morning. "We have to go find that demon - it could be attacked more sick people as we speak."

"And where do you want us to go?" Edward asked flatly, cocking an eyebrow at her rudely.

Bella was instantly backpedaling. "Oh, yeah, good question..."

"The demon disappeared without a trace," Seth chirped, letting his 'lollipop'-bearing arm rest on his tiny knee for a moment. "We wouldn't know where to start searching."

"And there's certainly no point in returning to the mansion," I tried to agree, casually suggesting my feelings.

Not one to be fooled, Seth leveled me with a sardonic gaze so far beyond the maturity of his five "human" years.

"I believe you have _other _reasons for that opinion - as in a certain princess whose fondness of you is a little too obvious."

I promptly choked on my 'soda' and tried to cover up my lapse of control by sipping in more - which only spurred on a coughing fit.

Edward and Bella, locked in the midst of their verbal battle of dominance, took no notice. _Thanks, guys, means a lot._

"What's the problem?" Bella sighed, squatting down to Edward's level. For his part, Edward just stared straight ahead, his eyes drooping lazily. "Are you getting lazy in your old age or something?"

Edward blinked, but otherwise didn't move. He didn't even rise to the age-jab like he usually did - he was so sensitive about that factor of their relationship most of the time.

"I'm just not especially interested," he drawled. "I mean, what's in it for _us_? It's not as though we'll get a jewel shard out of it."

"Not this again." Bella rolled her eyes before putting on her best smile that Edward usually couldn't resist. "C'mon, just one on the house for us humans!"

Edward glanced at her sidelong before closing his eyes irritatedly. "And _that's _what I'm tired of: helping people all the time! Look, I'm gonna be a great demon someday, so why should I waste my time going around, rescuing humans?"

Bella rolled her eyes again and snorted, "Oh, aren't you the villain?" Dropping the facade, she snapped, "You're practically a saint and you know it."

"SAINT? Ok, where are you goin' with this one, _Bella_?"

Bella raised an eyebrow at his indignant expression. "It's _supposed _to be a compliment."

Edward scoffed and closed his eyes again, leaning back on his palms. "Look, I'm still not interested in going after that demon, so count me out." He turned to sneer childishly at her, "You got a problem with that?"

Only Bella was now standing up, a few feet away, her back to us as she stared out over the river.

_"I'm still talkin' here!"_

"Look!" Bella shouted over him, pointing out to the water.

I leaned around the backpack and Seth, who were obstructing my view of the river, to see the blurred outline of what _looked _like a man and his belongings. I got up to stand beside Bella and get a better look, Seth jumping onto my shoulder and sinking his tiny claws into my robes to hold his place.

"What is that?" Seth asked, leaning forward a bit and squinting his eyes. "An octopus?"

"It's a man," I corrected, still more than a little surprised.

Bella jerked a little, as though something had suddenly scared her, and then shouted, "Do something!" I wasn't sure who she was talking to until she turned around and grabbed up Edward by his loose shirt, dragging him over to the shore.

"Move it! _Hurry_!"

Without preamble or explanation, she promptly shoved Edward into the water over his indignant retorts that began with "But why do _I_ -?" and ended with some sort of gurgled string of curses.

"Look to the saint inside you!" Bella encouraged, dry on the shore while a glaring Edward reluctantly swam further out to retrieve the man.

When he returned to land, he unceremoniously dumped the limp body of the man onto the ground and leaped up himself, shaking himself out of water and grumbling under his breath with words like "Bella" and "stupid, bossy" and "_opposite _of her."

With the combined strength of Bella and I, we were able to drag the man further inland and laid him out. Thankfully, he was still breathing. Bella sat at his head, me to her left, Seth to my left, all waiting for the man to awaken.

"This priest is only unconscious," I assured Seth, who looked really worried.

The priest in question suddenly started shaking and groaning, his hands twitching at his sides as though he were trying to move them.

"Sounds like he's coming to," Bella interpreted.

Slowly, the priest's eyes opened towards the sky, and then glanced towards us, his saviors. But when his nervous, suspicious eyes fell on Bella, they turned downright terrified. He shrieked and jumped away, trying to shield himself with whatever large objects he could find.

And the truly hilarious thing was Bella had done the same.

At the very onslaught of his rather deranged shrieks, Bella herself had screamed and taken cover behind Edward's legs, who looked down at her as if to say, _Are you serious right now?_

When the priest realized this, he relaxed a bit and moved a small inch or two closer to us, still eying Bella warily.

"What's your problem?" she snapped. "You about scared me to death!"

"What about Bella causes you such fright?" I asked, correctly assessing the situation and taking control the way the others apparently lacked the capabilities to do.

He settled down a bit after that, especially after being subjected to Bella's odd linguistics, and told us his whole story. Most of which was boring and pointless, but some of which actually struck a chord or two in the group.

"A demon?" Edward repeated skeptically.

"Yes," the young man answered abashedly, staring at the ground. It escaped no one's notice that, although he'd been reassured Bella was no threat to him, he could neither meet her eyes or control his flinches when she spoke up.

"You say that Bella resembled this demon you saw?" I asked, a trifle skeptical myself. What demon would take on Bella's form? She knew hardly anyone here, and she was too kind to be considered dangerous to those that did... then again, maybe that was the draw...

The man nodded. "At first glance, she appeared no more than a human, but in actuality she was a most frightening demon. A priestess in disguise."

Both Edward and Bella tensed instantly, and I felt somewhat out of the loop. They knew of a demon that disguised itself as a priestess? Had they run into this demon before and failed to destroy it?

"She was able to deflect my master's immense spiritual powers." His eyes widened. "Oh, yes, I remember now. Her name was Tanya."

Faster than the blink of an eye, Edward's hand had flashed out and grabbed the priest's robes, yanking him up off the ground. I gasped, outraged and shocked at his rough handling of such a weakened man, but no one else seemed surprised. Seth looked a little scared and apprehensive, but Bella just seemed calculating and rather saddened.

What the hell was going on here, and why did it seem I was the last to know?

"If I find out you're making this up, you'll wish you hadn't been pulled out of that river!" Edward snarled, glaring viciously at the man, who cowered away from him.

"I speak only the truth! The woman was out sucking the blood of a human body!"

"I don't care about that! It's the _name_! What makes you so sure her name was Tanya?"

"The children of the village called her so... I'm certain. The youngsters called her by the name of Tanya."

Bella looked down at the ground, murmuring, "So _Tanya _was the one responsible for killing those sick people?"

Edward dropped the man to the ground without another glance, ignoring him even when he cowered and crawled away, staring up at Edward in pure terror. I didn't blame him. Who in the hell was this Tanya lady and why did everyone seem so worked up about her?

After a short conversation between Edward and Bella, Edward shot off like lightening - by himself, I might point out.

Bella, Seth, and I sat ourselves down on a log in the beginnings of the forest we were to travel through (and meet Edward on the other side of tomorrow morning), waiting for Bella to finish packing her sack and putting everything on her bike.

She sat back when she was done, sighing a little, but none of us made any move.

Since I still quite obviously had no idea what was going on here, Bella explained the entire situation to me in a rather acerbic voice that never wavered in emotion.

"I see," I said when she finished. "Then was it wise to let Edward go alone?"

"He sure took off in a hurry when he heard the priest's story," Seth agreed uncomfortably, glancing with protective concern towards Bella, who, in his eyes, was his mother that his father was betraying right now.

"Think about it," Bella murmured, her voice muted. "Edward's probably still in love with Tanya."

"What?" Seth snapped, scandalized.

"That's why it's better to leave him alone," Bella continued, either ignoring or not hearing Seth's outburst.

"Why? What do they need to be alone for?"

"I think I understand," I said, noticing Bella's ducked head and slumped posture. I was fairly certain I understood the entire situation, but I would only put into words the parts that would alleviate Seth's confusion - but not embarrass or distress Bella. "The woman he once loved so completely may have changed. And if that were indeed the case, he could not allow others to see the change in her or in himself."

"But why?" Seth pressed. "And who's to say? She might have changed for the better. _Then _what d'you think would happen?"

"I don't know," I admitted calmly, thinking it over. "I suppose, if it were me, I'd get back together with her."

Without warning, Bella sprang to her feet and grabbed her bike. Before she completely left without us, she gave me an icy look over her shoulder that left me two steps behind and completely ashamed.

"Yeah? So is _that _what you'd do?" she snapped, before turning huffily away and continuing on her march.

I blinked a few times in shock, and then rubbed the back of my neck rather awkwardly. "Well, this is different," I mumbled to Seth. "Is it my imagination or did she just give me a really cold stare?"

"_Definitely _not your imagination..."

I shook my head quickly, regaining my attention and focus. Bella was already deep into the woods. And _she_ most certainly couldn't be left alone. Tanya or no Tanya, I'd seen how protective Edward was of Bella myself, and if she'd been hurt on my watch, it'd mean my head.

"Uh, just a moment, Bella!" I called, grabbing Seth by his shirt and checking up to the irate girl as quickly as possible.

She whirled around angrily to face me and snapped, "_Now _what?"

"I-I suppose we could always follow after Edward..." I suggested, trying to ease her jealousy.

"NO!" she said emphatically. I flinched at the raw hurt and anger and confusion in her tone. It all mixed together and formed one mood: stubborn. "I won't chase him!"

Being blessed with limited spiritual power as a monk, I was suddenly able to feel the presence of an absurdly powerful demon nearby. Was this Tanya?

Essentially being a priestess herself, Bella was granted with far more spiritual prowess than I, and was able to identify the aura without sight. She confirmed my suspicions without actually naming the presence.

"It's the demon that was killing all those sick people!"

"After it!" I shouted.

"Good plan," she agreed.

Since Tanya was a vampire, there was obviously no way we could catch up to her, but we were able to follow the trail she'd taken.

At least, Bella was.

When we reached a strange junction and arch between two trees, Seth and I were suddenly repelled as though we had slammed into a brick wall. Rubbing my hurt nose irritatedly, I got to my feet and hesitantly reached out my other hand to test the barrier that I couldn't see.

"What was that?" Seth squeaked.

"Someone has sealed this area off," I mumbled angrily, trying to slowly force my hand through. It, too, was repulsed with sparks of heat and lightning.

"So we can't pass?" he whined, though not sounding all that disappointed.

"Right."

"Wait! where's Bella?" His little head whipped around quickly, knocking my chin.

"She went through..."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I kept running as hard as I could, struggling to catch up with the insanely fast demon. It was rapidly getting dark, so I completely missed the sheer drop of the land until I was nearly sliding down it - only my "ninja" reflexes and a lucky tree nearby stopped me from careening downhill.

I turned to call over my shoulder, "Be careful! The grass is really slippery here!"

But no one was behind me. I'd lost Emmett and Seth somewhere along the way...? I was alone?

In my surprise and fear, I'd let go of the tree and accidentally put too much weight on one foot. I was sent tumbling down the side of the hill - more like grassy cliff - until I hit the bottom. And I do mean _hit_. I crashed through several almost-horizontally growing trees and landed roughly into a prickly bush. On my back.

Groaning, I straightened up and absently started to rub my sore back and shake the leaves and twigs out of my hair. Then I turned to observe my surroundings.

I seemed to be in a clearing of sorts, surrounded on all sides by trees by in a small meadow. In the middle of the clearing was one enormously large tree - though still smaller than my sacred tree - and, though I could barely make it out in the darkness, there was a person sleeping in the tree branches. Was that the demon I'd been searching for?

I took a step closer to examine the sleeping figure's face, and instantly reared back. _But how is she still alive? She fell from an enormous cliff into a rushing river!_

Tanya.

But if that was the case and it _was _her, then she most certainly wasn't sleeping.

And I was in deep trouble.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

It was really dark out by the time I reached the meadow on the river where the priest had described seeing Tanya. But now there was no life in sight - unless you count plantlife, which didn't interest me at all.

But over by the river, caught in between two rocks, was a white cord fluttering in the light breeze. I walked over, and bent down to retrieve it.

A hair band? A sudden image of Tanya flashed into my mind, and I remembered that her hair was always pulled back with a white ribbon just like this. It was disappointing that her scent was no longer in this world, though. The ribbon only carried the scent of soil and bones. But it was hers nonetheless. Was Tanya really still alive?

FLASH!_ "Didn't I tell you before?" she screamed. "My spirit cannot rest in peace until I see you dead. When I die, you're coming with me!" _FLASH! ___"Don't do this!" I tried, while she yanked on my hand. I lost my grip on the side of the cliff and we fell about ten feet before I caught the edge of a stable rock. But in my concentration for that, I lost my grip on Tanya, and her hand slipped out of mine. "TANYA!" She gasped, screaming as she fell down into the ravine. __I stared down into the fog, no longer able to see her, my hand still stretched out as though to stop her_.

_"I died hating you. My spirit cannot shed that all-consuming hatred. So long as you live, I cannot be saved."_

I had to save her. No matter what she thought of me now, I'd promised to protect her and I'd do it until the day one of us passed on to the other world.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I took a few steps closer to the tree until I was standing within arm's reach of Tanya, unable to turn away. It was that same odd sensation again of looking into a demonic mirror - except this time she was all there upstairs and ten times more frightening than last time. But still... she looked so frail and sad.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she sat up, glaring at me. I flinched back involuntarily, even though I really didn't want to show off a weakness. Her face could have put Peter's to shame in that moment, so cold and closed off, but at the same time so disdainful.

"I see that my barrier was not strong enough to prevent you from finding me," she mused, her cold eyes calculating me.

"Barrier?" I repeated, surprised. "I don't remember seeing anything like that..."

My eyes were drawn by something wet catching the light of the moon, and nearly threw up when I saw three bloodied corpses behind the tree.

"Are you the one who's been killing all those sick people? It _is _you, isn't it? You have to stop!"

Her cold eyes never blinked as she stared at me. It was getting really creepy.

Finally, she spoke, and it was in a flat, dispassionate voice that I knew disguised fury and hatred. "Is _he _not here with you?"

I looked down, still unable to explain the waves of sadness and betrayal I felt when I thought of Edward leaving to go find Tanya. I mean, it wasn't as though we were a couple or anything, and I'd known for forever that Edward was in love with Tanya... Still...

"I came on my own," I mumbled, my cheeks turning red as I felt the need to stave off unreasonable tears. "Edward set off to find you earlier."

"Tell me," she said - not asked, mind you. "What are you to him? What is your relationship?"

I blinked in shock. Out of everything I'd told her, Edward was still the only thing on her mind? What the hell? Was she just ignoring my every word that didn't revolve around him?

In the time it took my mind to get off my indignation and back on the task at hand, Tanya had briefly touched her pointer and middle fingers to my forehead, holding them there for a few short seconds while she mumbled some sort of spell at lightning speed.

When she removed her hand, I gasped. I couldn't move!

"This will end your interfering."

* * *

**Edward's POV**

Using the hair band as a scent holder, I tried to follow Tanya's new scent through the woods to find her. But it was much more difficult than it used to be, since the vast majority of her scent comprised of soil and bones - of which there were more than enough examples throughout the forest.

Eventually, I ran smack dab into a barrier, and reared back to assess the surroundings. Someone powerful put that baby up. But who? Tanya?

It had to be her. There was no one else so powerful as to erect a barrier with that much strength.

Suddenly, the barrier opened just enough to allow me through, and I jumped at the opportunity.

Tanya was definitely behind it.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Tanya got out of her tree and pushed me until my back rested against the tree. I still couldn't make my body - except my mouth, which she conveniently couldn't seem to control - move.

She walked a few feet away, and then turned back to me, a smug smirk lighting _our_ features on her face.

"Edward has come." She eyed me cockily. "I fear he has not come to save you. His purpose lies in seeing _me_." Her entire face morphed into hateful determination. "You will not interfere."

"Interfere?" I repeated blankly. "You don't still mean to kill Edward? He's not your enemy! Someone pitted you against each other on purpose!" I felt myself smiling hopefully as I gave it my last effort. "Edward could _never _have taken your life, Tanya."

Tanya merely smirked cruelly. "From your countenance, I gather you expect me to be rejoicing. _Someone _caused my premature demise. It matters not who. Will my murderer's death bring me back to life?"

"I-I guess not..." I mumbled, embarrassed that I hadn't thought of this myself.

"The dead have but one wish: to live again," she informed me, and then scoffed derisively. "A wish that will never be realized. However, this dead woman can wish for one thing that _can_ come true. I wish for a heart. The heart of the man whom I shall never allow to forget me."

"Never allow to forget you?" I couldn't believe I was hearing this. "You mean Edward?"

Tanya gave a condescending nod. "It is clear that Edward wishes for my death." A cold smirk twisted her mouth. "That is a good thing. It means he feels remorse for our dispute." She laughed, and the sound was sinisterly mocking. "Let him feel _remorseful_. I shall never allow him to forget about me. Time will not advance, thus allowing me to exist in a dimension in which time is frozen. I will be able to live on inside his heart."

"You're always on Edward's mind, Tanya!" I tried getting through to her. "Why can't you be satisfied with that? He hasn't forgotten you after all these years. Edward _loves _you - he always has. Isn't that good enough?"

Tanya didn't make any move to call off her ridiculous plans. She went on defending them.

"When Edward and I parted, we despised one another. The 'love' you speak of is but a shallow emotion - an emotion that served only to deepen the hatred. Nothing can resolve one's desire for exacting vengeance the way bitterness can. If he must love, then let him love my consuming hatred." She smiled cruelly. "And in return, I shall love his heart as it falls into deep despair."

"No, Tanya! It's senseless! Your hatred is totally pointless! I -"

Both Tanya and I jumped and turned, startled at the sudden third presence we both were waiting for.

Edward stood a few feet off to my right, breathing heavily. He must have ran the whole way here, nonstop from wherever he had been before.

"Edward, you've gotta talk to Tanya," I stressed instantly, not waiting for Tanya to totally ruin the silence. "Tell her how James deceived you both!"

He didn't glance in my direction once as he walked over to Tanya. His eyes were locked on her face - which had suddenly, most conveniently, become sad and helplessly betrayed. They tiny, fisted hand she curled into her heart only added to the 'helpless' act she was suddenly putting on for Edward. Was this image the woman he'd fallen in love with? He really wanted some helpless, depressed bimbo?

And to top it all off, she was ignoring me. I knew now that Edward couldn't hear me. He couldn't even see me.

Tanya intended to force me to watch this entire exchange between her and Edward, no doubt to reinforce the fact that I wasn't nearly as important to Edward as she was. I scoffed to myself. Like I needed her to tell me that.

"So you were the one killing all those sick and injured people," Edward concluded, casting a rather cursory glance toward the sad bodies stacked behind the tree.

Tanya lifted her head proudly, but kept the rest of her posture submissive, as though subconsciously begging him to take control and rescue her from her current situation.

"My body is now tainted with vampire venom," she informed him imperiously. "It must be sustained by human blood. I would rather do it in small, controlled instances, else I would become a savage beast, killing whatever living creature crossed my path." She smirked, dropping her facade. "Edward... you must despise me. I have killed and fed from the lifeblood of innocent, sick humans to sustain my presence - and it is my hatred of _you _that fuels my actions."

"That's just ludicrous!" Edward snapped, finally losing his composure - but in a sweet, helpless lover-like way. He was desperately trying to make her see that he was still in love with her, but she refused to acknowledge that. I felt my heart hurt a little for him and his troubles, which suddenly seemed so much greater than mine. "You may very well despise me, but the feeling's not mutual! Tanya, I never stopped thinking about you! _Not even for an instant_!"

If I hadn't been paralyzed, I would have needed the tree's support. My knees probably would have given out at that statement.

_"...wanted you near me..."_

Was that all a lie then? Just something sweet to make me stay in this time and help him defeat James - for _her_?

I sighed. I'd thought so... Edward had never forgotten Tanya. And why should he have?

_So why does it hurt so much to hear him say it?_

Edward was being taken away from me.

I gasped, shocked at myself. What the hell was I thinking? It's not like Edward was ever my boyfriend or anything.

Tanya's saddened, helpless act was back full tilt, and she turned away from Edward, her hand placed again on her heart.

"I could never hate you or think less of you," Edward pressed. "It's your _soul _I care for, not your appearance!"

"Truly, Edward?" she murmured, slowly turning back to face him. She closed the small distance between them, gently caressing his face. "You would not despise me if I used these hands to kill you?"

Ever so slowly, as though enjoying prolonging the moment for me, she stretched up and pressed her lips to his. I about fell over. It seemed Edward was pretty staggered too. He didn't even get the chance to relax and close his eyes for the kiss - he just froze like a deer caught in the headlights.

When she finally pulled away from his mouth, and fell against his chest, wrapping her arms under his and around his back. She let her words tumble out of her mouth, as though she were finally admitting a large weakness or burden. And it seemed only I realized it was still part of her act. The words themselves might have been true, but she was using them to bring him to a position where she could easily manipulate him.

"Edward, after meeting you, I renounced my position as a priestess. I became a ordinary woman." She clutched him tighter to herself, ducking her head to maintain her submissive facade. "I longed to embrace you like this when I was alive."

Most convincingly, her voice broke on the last word.

Seeming to lose an internal struggle, Edward wrapped his arms around her in return, and for some weird reason, I felt some remote part of me scream in protest. What the hell was going on here? Edward was going to take her back, just as he was expected to. Why was this idea suddenly hard for me to accept? What was I even doing here, watching them?

I felt tears prick at my eyes and forcibly blinked them back. I couldn't believe what an idiot I was.

"We are unable to turn back the hands of time," Tanya whispered, clutching herself tighter to him, "so, please, allow me to embrace you a little longer."

"I can't save you," Edward admitted frustratedly. "I can't do anything to help you... except stay like this. If only time could stand still."

Tanya's eyes snapped open, staring at a point on the ground just in front of me. It seemed only I noticed how eager her tone had suddenly become.

"Would you agree to that? If I did stop time?"

It seemed like Edward was so damn content in her arms that he could fall asleep there. His eyes were closing and he leaned more of his weight against Tanya, but she seemed to welcome it - encourage it, even.

"Yeah... I don't care," he mumbled sleepily, "...if I'm with you."

I would have stomped my foot if I wasn't paralyzed. I groaned in exasperation and a trifle disgust, and shouted to Tanya, "I can't watch this anymore. I'd be more than happy to leave if you'd just _release _me!" I rolled my eyes, muttering, "I'll go crawl under a rock or something like - Hey! Are you listening to me?"

I gasped as the winds around me started to pick up. The ground underneath Tanya and Edward had literally opened and the winds were dragging them, pushing them down into it.

And Edward really was unconscious! Had she put a spell on him?

Tanya wrapped her arms tightly around Edward, pulling him down into the pit with her.

"Edward... I will never let you go. Come with me to hell."

"Edward, snap to it!" I tried screaming. "You've gotta get out of there!"

But it was no use. Whatever she'd done to him had put him under, and combined with the invisibility spell thing on me, we were SOL.

Fine, then.

"Listen, Tanya!" I shouted over the screaming winds. "I know _you _can hear me! You're being ridiculous! Edward said he wanted to _be _with you; he never said anything about wanting to _die _with you! Edward's going after James for deceiving you both fifty years ago! He's still got things to do! Edward wants to live to fight James more than anything! And he's determined to stay alive until he faces him and avenges your death!"

Tanya's eyes opened again and she pulled away from Edward, turning towards me to level me with some creepily emotionless gaze that could have given Peter a run for his money. I couldn't tell if she was going to kill me or release me or even release Edward, her face was completely blank. She just stared at me.

Finally, she raised her hand and shot one of her mystic mumbo-jumbo spells at me. I flinched, expecting pain, but nothing happened.

Except that I could move again! I took that opportunity to drop to my knees, leaning heavily against the tree behind me, my muscles stiff.

"And what if he does exact revenge?" Tanya asked me coldly over the howling winds. "Will that serve to revive me?" When I found no immediate answer, she turned back to Edward and began pulling him down with her by the shoulders again. "Come, Edward... Come, rather than staying here and living with my memory. You and I share the same desires."

"How dare you!" I shrieked. I would have jumped in there and pulled Edward out myself, but the winds were way too strong for me. I only would have ended up getting sucked in myself. "The poor guy's _unconscious_, remember? Otherwise, he'd _never _go with you! Do us all a favor and let go of Edward! I'm tellin' you... _Don't touch him!_"

Then that weird soul-switching business started up again, just like back with Sasha. Tanya and I both started glowing just like back then, only this time it was her soul - my soul, really, that she had stolen in the first place - flowing into me.

She gasped and screamed a little in shock, but it did nothing to deter her from her pursuit of dragging Edward to hell. In fact, it only made her more determined and speedy. For his part, Edward just stayed fast asleep, oblivious to Tanya and me and the whole world.

"No! Wake up!" I shouted. "Don't let her take you, Edward! _Edward!_"

Finally, thankfully, Edward's open slid open slowly, and he didn't seem to realize the difference between talking and thinking at first. He was mumbling to himself as he roused himself, "That's Bella's voice... Bella? Is she here?"

His eyes roved the entire clearing before finally coming to rest on me and snapping into focus. "Bella!"

He leaped out of Tanya's arms and hole and landed literally right in front of me, squatted down to my level. He grabbed my arm as though his touch could stop my glowing - and it did. The moment his skin touched mine, Tanya and I both stopped glowing. The winds died down, and Tanya's hole to hell closed.

"Bella, what in the world do you think you're doing here?" he asked, and his tone was more afraid than angry. But afraid of what? He couldn't be afraid of me?

"_Me_?" I snapped. "_I'm _the one who should be asking that question!"

"Well, uh... it's hard to explain..."

Tanya stood up rather unsteadily in her closed off ditch, and Edward and I both turned to face her as she stared up at us.

This time, the bereft, lonely expression on her face was real - there was no denying that. The hand that clutched at her heart, this time, was genuinely trying to stave off pain.

She stared at Edward with a lost, hopeless look that seemed to shake him up pretty bad, and whispered, "Does that girl mean more to you than I do?"

She couldn't be talking about me...?

Edward and I both glanced at each other, as though for confirmation, promptly blushed to the roots of our hair, and turned to stare at the ground.

Tanya chose to ignore this rather juvenile interaction. She turned on her heel and started walking away, and it seemed her very essence blended into the night. It was downright creepy to watch.

"Wait, Tanya!" Edward called, taking a few steps forward as though to chase after her.

Tanya stopped him dead in his tracks with a single, hurt look over her shoulder, and a soft, "Edward, remember the feel of my lips against yours... for it was real."

And with that, she took off running at an immortal speed so fast, I was sure even Edward had trouble keeping track of her with his eyes. It was like she disappeared, blended into the very night, in mere seconds.

I blinked, trying to get control of my raging emotions, and jerked to my feet. My muscles were stiff and sore from being paralyzed against the tree for so long, but I ignored the pain as I stomped away. I could hear Edward following close behind me, but I needed space, and his presence definitely wasn't allowing for that.

"Stay away from me," I snapped over my shoulder as I stopped walking.

Edward involuntarily reared back in shock. It wasn't often I talked to him like that, but I couldn't help it. I was majorly confused and he wasn't giving me time and space to sort through my own head... or heart, whichever the case may be.

"What're you so mad about?" Edward returned indignantly, trying to hide his hurt expression at my tone. I felt a little bit guilty taking out my pent-up feelings on him, especially when he didn't realize what he'd done to offend me, but I didn't care enough.

I sighed, glaring at the ground. "You know, Edward... how about you look for the Sacred Jewel shards on your own? I... I don't think I can help you anymore."

"Where is all this stuff _coming _from?" Edward asked, getting frustrated. "You're the only one who can see the jewels. I need you to help me."

I felt tears prick my eyes again and quickly cleared my throat, letting the words fly out of my mouth without thinking about the consequences. "Is that all I'm good for, finding jewels? That really is the only reason you need me around..." I shook my head, feeling my cheeks heat up. "What am I rambling on about? Sorry, just forget I said any of that. I guess it's just the fact that I'm alone in this strange world... Kind of a lonely prospect."

"You're not alone, I'm right here with you," Edward tried, his voice still really confused. "Unless you don't want to be with me anymore."

I blinked, turning around to face him. "Oh, I get it. You weren't able to see me there at all, were you?"

He said nothing, but his face said it all._ ...The hell you say?_

"I saw the whole thing between you and Tanya," I informed him, trying to be as offhanded about it as possible. Edward's face went scarlet and absolutely shocked.

"You mean...?" he choked.

I nodded. "That's right, from start to finish. So I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me alone for a bit."

Without waiting for a reply, stupidly thinking he'd do as I asked, I started walking again.

Of course, Edward was never one to be left behind.

I heard him running after me, calling, "H-Hey! Don't do this to me! W-What do you mean by 'the whole thing'? Hey, wait, Bella! What was I doing when you saw me?"

I ignored him, trying to pick up my pace a little, but he persisted.

"Wait! Tell me, Bella!"

"SIT!"

He screamed a little in pain as he slammed into the ground, but I was too angry to care. I'd asked for space, damn it, not his left nut! It wasn't that difficult to leave me alone for a bit, was it?

"I mean _the whole thing_!" I cried. "All of it! I had a front-row seat!" I sighed, turning away, and muttered dejectedly, "I'm going home."

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

Around midnight, Seth and I finally stumbled upon Edward, who was lying unconscious in a small, body-shaped ditch in the ground. Bella, however was nowhere to be seen.

"What happened?" Seth prodded immediately. "Did you find her?" He poked Edward's limp arm. "What are you doing down on the ground? Have you seen Bella?"

"Wait a moment," I murmured, trying hard not to laugh. "I recognize this position. It means that Bella is somewhere nearby."

Seth's eyes widened in recognition, and then narrowed in amusement like I'd felt. He glanced back down at Edward with smug satisfaction.

"And judging from the depth of this hole, I'd say she's feisty as ever," he agreed.

* * *

**Irina's POV**

In the darkest hours of the night, just before dawn, I heard soft footsteps outside in the village. They were slow, as though the owner wanted to take their time and admire the village, but they eventually stopped just outside my hut.

My door swung open, and I gasped, sitting up in bed.

"S-Sister Tanya?"

Tanya she might look like, but this demon was nothing like my sister. She closed the door behind herself and smirked at me with a malevolent amusement.

"What ails you, Irina?" she asked. "Do you fear your own sister?"

I threw off my blankets and swung my feet over the edge of my bed, shaking my head at her. "Ye misunderstand. I'd heard ye had fallen from a cliff. I didn't imagine ye would survive."

"You were correct," she informed me casually, moving further inside my house - the house that used to belong to the both of us. "I am dead. But something left undone in this world keeps me from moving on."

"Do ye still remain resolved to take Edward's life?" I surmised.

Another sort of smile graced her mouth, and it was partly nostalgic, partly sinister.

"Edward..." she murmured ruminatively. "I saw him just moments ago, and almost succeeded in killing him." Her face went deadly serious, and she stepped forward, taking a seat in one of our old chairs. "Tell me all you have to offer of this James person."

"Everything was started by the evil designs of Keller," I informed her, shrugging. "He called forth many demons, and was devoured by them. Thus he was recreated as the vampire, James."

As I spoke, I whipped out my pot and foods, stirring up some breakfast for me. I was certain Tanya would want none of it, but it was something to keep my hands busy while I talked.

"I see..." Tanya mused. "So it was all the work of that bandit, Keller."

"Aye," I nodded. "He used to say that the Sacred Jewel grows in beauty when it is tainted with malice."

"He fueled the hatred between Edward and myself," Tanya surmised, "then attempted to take the Sacred Jewel that had been sullied in the process."

"Tanya..." I began awkwardly, still trying to deter her from this ludicrous path of destroying Edward. "Edward was seriously wounded by James once again, so please -"

When I glanced up from the ground, Tanya was already at the door, her hand on the handle.

"That's enough," she cut me off. "I only came because I thought I should know the circumstances of my death." She squeezed the handle so tightly that it seemed to dent a little in her palm before stating at random, trying to be offhand about it, "I noticed that Edward has changed. His face has a certain softness now. Back then, his eyes were so cold... He thought he could afford to place his trust in no one."

I looked back to the fire awkwardly. This was a most difficult discussion to have with one's sister: present and past lovers and their influences.

"Bella is a strange child," I admitted finally. "Little by little, she has been able to heal the wounds of his heart."

Tanya's eyes went flat and deadly. "That girl again... So she is the one responsible. It was _she _who changed Edward. If I had lived, it is _I_ who would have tended to the wounds in his soul."

"Please, Tanya," I begged, suddenly worried for Bella's well-being. "Are ye unable to break away from the past and move on?"

But Tanya had heard enough. She strode out of the door, muttering, "We shall meet again," before closing it firmly behind her.

I sighed, glaring down at my food, wishing I'd had the courage to stand up and demand the answers from my aloof sister. She'd never seemed so cold to me as now...

_How long will you linger on earth, sister?_

_

* * *

_**Edward's POV**

The next morning, things were really tense and awkward between us all. Bella refused to speak to me - or anyone, really - no matter how hard I tried to coerce her. Emmett seemed to know what was going on, but he wouldn't let tell Seth even when the runt begged to be in on the secret.

When breakfast was out of the way, Bella stood up and walked off without saying a word. Where could she be going without all her things, though?

Without seeming to realize what she was doing, Bella wandered right over to her well - tripping on a rock and angrily kicking it out of the way in the process - and went home without a backwards glance or a word to the wise.

She hadn't even noticed Seth, Emmett and I spying on her from behind the safety of the surrounding trees.

"And so she has left us once again," Emmett murmured curiously. "Edward, Bella was not acting her usual self. Exactly what happened between you and Tanya?"

I glared at the ground, part of me wanting to take off into the well after her, part of me saying it was better this way, and grumbled, "Same thing that goes on when you're with a woman."

Emmett literally jumped back a few feet, nearly tripping over himself as he shrieked in horror. "You - ah! - Ghastly! You mean you did _that _right in front of Bella?"

I rolled my eyes and shot back suspiciously, "Maybe you should explain what _you _do with women, _monk_!"

"N-Nothing..."

"Will Bella come back?" Seth asked me nervously, jumping onto my shoulder so that I couldn't ignore him. "She looked awfully upset."

I groaned a little, letting my head fall down.

_"I never stopped thinking about you! Not even for an instant!"_

I spoke only the truth, and I meant every word.

_"Does that girl mean more to you than I do?"_

"Now what course will you take, Edward?" Emmett pressed, jerking me out of my thoughts. "Tanya can't have gotten too far yet. Will you go after her?"

"Hey!" Seth protested. "Bella's more precious than Tanya is! Hurry up and make up with her, Edward!"

I was too intently focused on trying to figure out the right answer to those questions that I didn't hear or smell Bella's return to this time.

"What will you do, Edward?" Emmett persisted, growing more forceful when I didn't immediately answer.

"Which will you choose?"

"Answer!"

"Which one?"

I groaned again, slapping a hand to my forehead. "Why can't I just choose both?"

"Why you two-timing...!" Seth shrieked indignantly.

Emmett sighed, patting my shoulder reassuringly. "Well, it's a common problem for men such as ourselves. It's one thing to have both, but another to keep it a secret. For if either girl were to hear what you just said -"

"SIT!"

I shrieked in pain as I found myself eating dirt.

Emmett, who hadn't even noticed yet, nodded emphatically. "Yes, _big _'sit.'"

Only then did he noticed me on the ground, where I was practically crying in pain. I was fucking injured from Peter and James, then that wolf guy, then Tanya, and now two 'sits' in as much time? When had my life gone so horribly wrong?

Seth jumped down to stand at my head, informing me with smug satisfaction, "They say that karma includes bad thoughts."

"Poor Edward," Emmett mumbled, finally on my side for once. "He wasn't thinking maliciously. Though it's probably just as well. This spared him a great deal of grief. Let's suffice it to a lesson learned. Rule one: let a woman cool off before trying anything."

Once this spell wore off, she was so gonna get it. There was no way I'd tolerate this shit from her again.

When I finally felt myself being let up, I jumped to my feet, shouting, "Hey, Bella!" and tearing off after her as she headed towards Irina's house.

I froze, nearly tripping over my own feet, when I realized she was crying. God, was it really me, after all? Was it my fault she was so upset?

I was preoccupied with these frustrating thoughts that I almost didn't hear her mumbling to herself about how completely exhausted she was. That didn't matter. She was fucking _crying_. That was, like, the worst thing a girl could do at me to get what she wanted. 'Worst' because it worked like a charm. I hated to see women cry.

Shaking my head, I crouched and jumped ahead of her, landing right in front of her. Before she could even protest, I snapped, "Will you at least listen to my explanation?"

Her eyes narrowed and she gave me a cold, impatient look. "I'm listening."

I'd never been good at feelings or shit like that, so I just decided to blurt it all out and see what actually came of it.

"If what happened injured your feelings... I apologize. Do you understand me?"

I plopped down on the ground a little disppointedly. All my thoughts and feelings poured into one sentence, and that was what came out? I was pathetic.

She sat down next to me, but we were turned at such angles that our backs were nearly facing each other completely. She didn't say anything.

"Well?" I demanded. "What more do you want?"

"You don't sound terribly apologetic," she pointed out icily.

I groaned in exasperation before sudden inspiration came to me. "It was the kiss, wasn't it? You're angry about the fact that I kissed her."

Her reaction was completely unexpected.

She whirled around, banging the ground with her fists as she shouted at me, "You really _are _an idiot, aren't you? I'd actually forgotten about that till you said it, dolt!"

"But then... then...?" What the hell was she so mad about?

She continued her tirade, screaming, "You just don't get it, do you? You _lied_ to me, Edward! Do you even remember what you _said _to me? How could you tell Tanya that you've never stopped thinking about her after that, huh? Which is the truth?"

I sat frozen for an instant. That was what she was mad about? She didn't care about the other shit?

"...They're _both _true."

Instantly, Bella sagged in shock, her eyes locked on mine in stunned disbelief.

Behind me, I heard Seth mutter, "Two-timer... but at least she's finally lost her steam."

Emmett sighed. "Rule two: Just because it's true doesn't mean you should say it."

Trying to get her to understand - and avoid another 'sit' - I said hurriedly, "For fifty years, Tanya's soul has wandered, unable to break free of this world." I ducked my head, James' mocking words ringing in it painfully. "She wouldn't have met that fate... if I'd just been able to trust her. How can you expect me to forget that?"

"I don't, Edward," she said quietly, but there was still some underlying fury in her voice. "But I do expect you to not lie to me. _That's _what I was upset about, along with..."

When she didn't continue that thought, I tried prompting, "Along with...?"

Instead of answering me, she turned around, putting her back fully to mine, and announced, "I'm going to ask you one final question."

"W-What?" _What does she mean, 'final'? As in, the end of this conversation, or the end of our friendship? She can't leave! Not after everything I just went through to admit all that shit to her!_

"Am I... just Tanya's replacement to you?"

This time, I was the one shouting. "What? You idiot! Haven't I told you over and over again that you're not?" I turned around so that my back now faced hers and admitted, "Fine, yes, maybe at the very beginning I thought you looked a bit like her... But now I know you. To me, you are only _you_!"

She let out a small breath and fell back against me, which I took as a good sign. I mean, if she was still angry at me, she'd have stormed off by now, right?

The movement caused a small explosion of her scent to fall over us, and I paused to appreciate it. Honestly, there was nothing better than that scent on this earth. It was so vivid, so alive, yet so gentle at the same time, and so reminiscent of flowers... And the best part was, I'd get to go on smelling this, if only for a while longer. She was going to stay with me.

I took a deep breath, preparing for yet another embarrassing admittance. It was a fair exchange, her forgiveness for my confessions.

"Bella, I... I like it. When I'm with you, I mean. Somehow... Somehow I feel _calmer_." I paused. Shouldn't she have said something by now, or just smacked me? ANYTHING? "...Bella?"

I turned my head to look over my shoulder and found her fucking sleeping, leaned up against my back to keep from falling over. Had she even heard a word of that? How could she freaking fall asleep like that? Dimly, I heard Emmett and Seth snickering from a distance, and felt my face heat up in response.

Ohhh, would she pay for this when she woke up...!

* * *

**Hope that was worth the wait!**

**Next time (Bella's POV): "Enter Rosalie, the Demon Slayer"!**

_The people in a nearby village make a living slaying demons. If we go there, maybe we can find out something about the jewel shards. But it seems that we aren't the only ones that figured that out! The slayers fall prey to one of their own, whose been possessed by a demon! The village is under siege, and a sister and brother fall into a deadly, heartbreaking trap. The entire deception has been concocted by none other than James!_

**Don't forget to review!**


	20. Enter Rosalie, the DemonSlayer

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi_

**I LIIIIIIIIIIVE!**

**SO sorry about this lack of update. Life hits ya hard, bro. **

**Anyway, I'll spare you the details that you likely don't care to read about anyway. On with the story!**

* * *

_Here's hoping you'll understand_  
_Stop making that sad face,_  
_As though you were a victim_

_Sins don't end with tears_  
_You have to carry the pain forever_  
_Who am I waiting for in this maze of emotions_  
_With no way out in sight?_

_I want to purge myself more simply_  
_As if writing in a blank notebook_  
_What is it I want to escape from?_  
_Is it reality?_

_It makes me want to scream that we're alive_  
_For things to come true. Can you hear me?_  
_I can't put up with playing it safe_  
_I've got nowhere to go home to_

_I'm always grateful for kindness_  
_That's why I want to grow stronger (I'm on the way)_  
_I even welcome this pain_  
_For the things I miss_

"Again," Yui (translated from the original Japanese)

* * *

Enter Rosalie, the Demon-Slayer

**Rosalie's POV**

"It comes! From the forest!"

The panicked voice of the village headman echoed. No one else in the village made a sound. The women, children, and elderly had all taken to their homes to hide. All the able men were standing before me, hopelessly shoddy spears and bows and arrows held in their shaking hands.

It was a good thing they'd called in a professional. Judging from the quaking of the gigantic trees and the general rumbling of the earth, the demon I was soon to face was enormous.

"Slayer! Please!"

Holding my boomerang, which was larger than I am myself, over my shoulder, I pushed my way through the crowd of would-be soldiers to stand at the forefront. I had my mask as a precaution; I wasn't sure if this monster would be able to emit toxins and I wasn't going to find out the hard way. My black leather armor was secure, everything in place, my sword at my hip, all hidden weapons ready for action.

Despite the fact that I had faced and killed more demons than I had years of living on this earth, I was still a little nervous. Giant oak trees were shaking, birds shrieking in fear as they fled. This monster was probably the biggest I had yet to see.

I tamped down my slight anxiety, crouching into a readier stance, my boomerang at the ready in a tight grip.

With a loud BOOM, the creature exploded out of the ground. Clumps of dirt flew around chaotically, striking villagers and myself as the demon stood to its full height. Larger than any mansion or palace was wide, it was a centipede demon.

But perhaps it's size could be used against it... Large monsters _were_ notoriously slower.

Before the demon had straightened up fully, I aimed and threw my boomerang with a grunt of exertion. It sliced right through the creature's neck before returning at breakneck pace, cutting right through again, before I caught it. The momentum sent my sliding back a few paces, but I remained standing, ready for a regeneration if this demon was so capable.

It was not. Its hundred legs creaking eerily, the entire three pieces of the body hit the ground and did not stir.

_Well that was easier than I thought it'd be..._

By why was the centipede so huge in the first place? Normal sizes for this particular species were indeed large, but they never reached this mass.

My answer caught the light and gleamed as it rained down amongst bits of torn flesh and blood. A piece of the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls.

I should have known. I caught it easily, turning to assuage the fears of the villagers, who were eyeing the demon warily.

"Slayer, what is that?" the headman asked, staring at my closed fist.

"The cause of the centipede's ferocity," I responded, allowing them a glimpse of the jewel fragment.

After assuring the men that the demon would not revive, but would in fact make excellent meat for the winter and weapons from its bones, I retired to a shed and changed back into my normal clothes: a pretty dress with a pattern of red and green dashes occasionally breaking up the ivory expanse. I removed my mask, slipped on my shoes, let down my hair, packed up my armor and slung my boomerang over my shoulder, exiting the shed to find the villagers gathered around it, waiting for me.

I smiled at them politely, "My job here is done. Call again for me should you require more help."

The headman stammered, "B-But we haven't yet paid your fee!"

I shook my head, closing my fist around the tiny pouch where the jewel shard was now hidden. "That's all right," I responded. "I'll take the fragment we found in the demon as payment instead. It only makes sense, seeing as it and all the other pieces were born in my village."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

It was nighttime, far later than I had intended to stay up. When you travel with warriors or demons accustomed to short-notice awakenings and fights, you were expected to rise way earlier than your average ninth grader would. So I tended to try to sleep early.

Of course, with three voices chattering away as they roasted more "food" not two feet from where I lay, it was rather hard to do that.

"So many stars..." Seth was saying in awe. "Sometimes I wonder which there are more of: stars in the sky, or sacred jewel pieces?" He sighed. "Our search is _far_ from over."

"Not necessarily, Seth," Edward's voice responded. "James is gathering shards just as we are. In the long run, he'll save us a great deal of work. He'll get the jewel shards, and then we'll get _him_. Hah! How's _that _for strategy?"

Seth sighed as though he were explaining something to an idiot. I had to force myself not to laugh aloud. "Edward, with every piece that James gathers, he becomes stronger, does he not? In that case, we'll never be able to catch him. It's obvious. Our only hope is to find more shards than he does. Geez, even a little kid like me can figure out something that simple. It makes me wonder if you haven't taken a few too many blows to the head."

"How 'bout we try that theory out on _you_?" Edward snapped.

Amidst Seth's shrieks and whimpers as I'm sure he ran from Edward, Emmett interrupted with an unusually grave tone, "Edward, what will you do when you gather all the pieces of the Sacred Jewel?"

"What else? I'll become a full-fledged, bona-fide vampire."

"Oh... Is that what you have planned?" His voice sounded somewhat confused and... disappointed?

Edward seemed to pick up on that too. His own tone grew defensive. "Nobody wants to be a weakling, right? You've gotta be able to stand up to someone you don't like if you need to."

"But tell me something," continued Emmett's weirdly sad tone, "when you use the power of the jewel to become a true demon, do you honestly think you will remain as you are now?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Now Edward was shocked. I blinked. Where was Emmett going with this?

"Well, can you recall ever having seen a demon that was using the jewel shards to a benevolent end?" There was a hesitation, probably to allow that question to sink into all our minds, before he continued, "This is merely a theory, but I believe that those who seek out and gain the power of the Sacred Jewel eventually lose their own hearts in the process."

Edward scoffed, his tone darkening. "That may be so, but I don't recall saying I wanted to be a _good_ vampire."

"You didn't," Emmett agreed, while I flinched in shock, "but you _do_ wish to protect Bella, and that is why you desire more power. But once you've become a true demon, you may just end up devouring her. And Seth."

"H-hey!" said fox kit piped up fearfully. "Why me? What about you, Emmett?"

"I will have fled long before."

"You're wrong," Edward snarled, and I'd never heard him sound more frightening. It was almost as though Emmett's terrifying prediction were coming true in that moment. "All the demons I've seen were rotten from the start. It's a mere coincidence. I'm different."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"What? A woman took the jewel piece! Who was she? When did this happen? Answer me!"

Edward's fast and harsh questions made the man in question quake with fear, but that did nothing to assuage Edward's impatience. He shook the poor man while, near the corpse of a centipede demon, two of his fellow villagers called to their homes, "It's another demon! Call for the Slayer!"

Before this got out of hand, Emmett took control, calming the terrified men and an irate Edward. He quickly extracted the whole story.

"Demon-slayer?" Edward repeated blankly at the end of the tale. I had to admit, I agreed.

"So people actually make livings going around, slaying demons?" I echoed.

"And this Slayer has been collecting shards of the Sacred Jewel in lieu of payment?" Only Emmett seemed to grasp the important part of the story.

"Aye," one of the men responded, looking to his buddies for backup. "She said that that rock and all the other pieces were 'born' in her home village."

"Edward, did you know of this?" Emmett asked.

"Not at all. By the time I learned of the jewel's existence, it was already in Tanya's possession. I'd honestly never given any though to where the jewel came from, or how it was made."

* * *

**Rosalie's POV**

Whinnies of exerted horses, chinks of metal-on-metal, and cheerful shouts of the men and women working greeted me as I reached the last and tallest peak of a well-hidden mountain; a mountain that concealed my village. It was surrounded my logs that were sharpened to points at the top and taller than three men standing on each other's shoulders. The only thing visible over such a guard were the village's two watchtowers.

I called out the password and the hidden entrance sprung upward, granting me leave to come home.

As I walked in, I was cheerfully greeted by the women of the village, most of whom were trying to wrangle in their youngsters as they shopped at our tiny village market.

"What was your prey this time?" asked the maker of the armor I wore.

"A giant centipede," I responded, smiling as I handed over my small parcel. "I couldn't bring back much for fear of the smell attracting more demons, but I did manage some hide and a few legs. You can use it to make more armor, yes?"

A light, fast-paced pitter-pattering sound reached my ears, closely followed by indulgent chuckles from the villagers around me. I knew instantly who it was.

"Vera!" I giggled as my tiny, two-tailed demon cat companion leaped up to nestle herself between my shoulder and neck. "Were you a good girl while I was away?" She merely mewed in her high-pitched voice and rubbed her face on my shoulder.

"Welcome home, Rose!" My brother was just on the cusp of puberty, and his high-pitched voice was given to frequent cracks and cessations of sound. I tried not to laugh, as I knew it upset him.

"Hello, my dear Jasper," I greeted happily.

"Father wants you t—Uh, that is, the Lord wishes to see you."

I smiled at his attempts to obey our father's silly wishes. He believed it made us stronger, to be kept free of parental bias, but our father was a fool if he really thought he was treating his two children the same as he did his villagers. It was simply impossible. After Mother died giving birth to Jasper, he became so invested in us and our training, it was ludicrous to think that anyone couldn't see his love.

I hurried home behind my brother, thinking these things with a smile. When we entered, we exchanged hellos and shared thanks to the gods for allowing me a safe return. Then I got down to telling him of my mission.

"I see," he murmured when I had finished, placing the sacred jewel piece on the top of an alter far out of the reach of the average man. "So you managed to bring home a shard of the Sacred Jewel. Well done, Rosalie."

He clapped his hands together and bowed his head to the jewel piece, eyes closed.

When he raised his head again, I asked, "Father, will prayers be enough to suppress the evil within the shard?"

"It is unlikely," he returned.

"I didn't think so." Still, I was disappointed. It would have made my life a whole lot easier if the jewel pieces that gave so many run-of-the-mill demons extraordinary powers could be put to rest with a simple prayer. So of course it couldn't happen.

Father cleared his throat and said, "Fifty years ago, when the jewel was whole, it was supposedly given to a priestess with unusual powers for purification. But in the end, even that priestess became embroiled in a fight over the jewel and paid for it with her life. Until we are able to find someone who has the power to purify the jewel, all we can hope to do is gather the fragments and keep a close watch over them."

I left the house, musing on that prospect. The power to purify the jewel... Until now, I had never heard of such an ability. It was going to be vastly difficult to find someone else with such powers.

I stood outside, waiting for Jasper and Father, as I rotated my shoulder, trying to work out the kink that had settled in from my rather rough throw.

"Rest yourself, Rosalie," came Father's voice as he came down the stairs towards me, Jasper just behind him. "We'll be needing you again shortly."

"Yes, Father." I turned to head to the weapons master to have my boomerang sharpened, but then I heard Father continue talking. I ducked behind a nearby outhouse to listen.

"Jasper, you, too, must prepare."

"What? Me?"

I froze. Jasper? Go into battle? But he was so tiny and gentle...! Granted, his aim with his chained sickle was deadly, but he was so shy and unassuming, I couldn't imagine him actually using it against a demon, let alone another human.

"Yes, you are eleven now. It's high time you got some real battle experience."

"Uh... Y-Yes, Father."

Later, after a nice nap and meal, I was lounging out on the patio, playing with Vera, while Jasper placed three pottery bowls on spikes out on the lawn and sliced them all in one go with his sickle.

"Rosalie?"

I interrupted my humming and kicking my feet in the air to answer, "Yes?" then resumed playing with Vera.

Jasper sat on the edge of the patio and asked gravely, "Do demons breathe fire and emit toxins, as they say?"

"Mm, some do."

His head drooped dejectedly. "I see."

Concerned, I crawled over to where he was seated and asked, "Jasper, what's wrong? Are you frightened?"

"No! I never said that!" Despite his words though, his blue eyes, the same as mine, were large and fearful as he looked away and sighed.

I reached out and rested my hand on his shoulder. "Worry not. We slay large serpents and spiders and other such monsters, it's true. But it is as Father says: the demons to fear most are those that masquerade as humans. If such a demon were to come to posses the Jewel, _that _would be something worth fearing." I smiled. "Luckily, powerful demons like that are few and far between."

He still seemed troubled, but not as terrified as before.

When Father summoned us to leave for our mission, our travels carried us well into the night. We had to cross our mountain and climb another to reach a hidden palace that was being plagued by a large demon. With Jasper and I had come our father, our uncle, and two of the best fighters to graduate the demon-slaying school in our village that year.

The night sky was an ominous color as we were permitted to enter the palace. Clouds that had been thin, wispy, and gray over the valley were suddenly thick, broiling, black-purple masses.

"Welcome, Slayers," said the Lord of the castle as we entered one of its many courtyards. Father and the rest of us knelt before the lord, laying weapons that we could not carry in sheaths or pockets before us in a show of loyalty. Jasper hastily followed my lead. "We have been plagued with nightly visits from a giant spider which has already devoured several of our people. Will you be able to destroy it?"

"Fear not, my lord," Father responded, his voice slightly muffled behind his mask. "I have brought the best fighters my village has to offer."

"Oh? They may be skilled, perhaps, but I see you have brought along a young woman... and even a child?"

Jasper quietly shook beside me, trying not to show his angst to the lord who gazed at him so critically.

"Yes, my lord. They are my own son and daughter, and the finest slayers in my village. Witness their skills for yourself, if you would."

I smiled beneath my own mask and whispered, "Hear that, Jasper? Now do your best."

"Father lied," he mumbled back, and he sounded close to tears in his anxiety. This was not going well. His shaking had not decreased. I wanted to comfort him, but honestly, he had to learn to control his fear. I had gone through the same thing at my first slaying. It was all part of the process. Soon enough, he would learn to use that fear as caution and become a great demon slayer.

There was a loud crack of unnatural-sounding thunder from overheard. Jasper gasped and looked around wildly for the source while I rolled my eyes. Of course it was another dramatic demon.

"You have your mission, Slayers, now go!" one of the lord's guards commanded, but we waited for Father's word.

He nodded. "Spread out!"

We leaped into position, the six of us forming a hexagon over the courtyard where the demon was sure to land. Two red eyes appeared in the clouds overhead, followed by an enormous fanged head. The rest of the body came soon after: all eight legs and fat stomach. It didn't look smart, but it was potentially fast and spider demons were notorious for implementing their toxic webs in battle. It was a good thing our village's protocol was to wear masks in all instances of doubt.

It landed in the courtyard with a bellow like a dragon and reared back on its hind legs, preparing to fight us.

* * *

**Servant's POV**

I sat outside the screen of my lord son's bedroom, where he had been laid up with an unknown, uncurable illness for far too long.

A savage shriek echoed down the halls outside, and I shivered.

"The demon has returned again?" my ailing lord asked, sitting up.

"Aye, my lord. I fear it is the same demon which prolongs your illness. But a number of Demon-Slayers have been summoned, and we hope that tonight shall be the last we see of the beast." I bowed. "Then I can only pray for your speedy recovery."

"Demon-Slayers?"

* * *

**Rosalie's POV**

Just as I'd predicted, the spider's first move was to spit its venomous webs at us. We all dodged and Father shouted, "Surround it!"

But before I could obey, my brother's terrified shrieks caught my attention. He had become ensnared by the webs and was dangling in midair.

"Jasper!" my uncle shouted in fear, before leaping to action before the rest of us could reach him. He used his weapons of choice, his hand axes, to cut my brother down. They landed heavily, both panting in a combination of relief and exertion. My uncle patted Jasper on the shoulder and advised, "Take a deep breath, calm yourself, and rejoin us."

With the most guttural yell, one of the graduates used his spiked club to cut off two of the spider's legs on his right side. The demon collapsed roughly with another painful shriek.

Father pinned its head to the floor with his 'moon-blade,' a simple polearm with a crescent moon-shaped blade for a head, and called, "It's down! Go!"

I smirked. This was where I came in.

With a cry of exertion, I threw my boomerang at the creature with all my might. It sliced vertically through the topmost portions of the beast's body, but it ran the complete length of the body and it was enough to kill it. The body collapsed heavily, and, after a moment's pause to make sure it would not revive, everyone relaxed.

"Rosalie, you're amazing!" Jasper called.

"She _is_ the best in the village, after all," Uncle agreed, laughingly slapping Jasper across the back.

The silence that had seemed to hold the guards captive broke then.

"She brought the demon down in one sweep!"

"Unbelievable!"

"All right," Father shouted, interrupting my somewhat gloating thoughts, "let's finish this up! Off with its head!"

The six of us gathered around the body, preparing to dismember it and take what we could back to our forges in the village.

"For a demon so large, bringing it down sure was easy!" one of the graduates grinned.

"It was _too_ easy," I corrected uneasily, my gaze settled on my brother. Something was odd about him. Jasper had started off running towards the body, but as he got closer, he started to slow down, as though he couldn't bear to be near it. He stopped altogether.

Just as I was about to chastise him, an all-too familiar sickle slashed out and hacked down the two graduates before they could even scream. Faster than the blink of an eye, Father and Uncle went down next, having taken blows directly in the throat.

I followed the sickle as it was pulled by its chain back to its owner in stunned, choked silence. But at Jasper's contented sigh as he lowered his weapon, head down, I could hold my silence no longer.

Biting back the tears that threatened to consume me, I whispered, "_Why_? Why would you slay Father and the others?"

His head lifted, and it immediately became clear he was possessed. His normally expressive blue eyes were flat, dead to the world of emotion. In that moment, I could have believed he felt nothing. That was the true marker of possession.

He didn't give me much time to consider it, though, before charging me.

"Stop, Jasper!"

He threw out his sickle. I barely managed to dodge. My metal mask was sliced off at the ribbons that tied it around my head, falling uselessly to the floor.

_He really would have killed me just now._

Jasper yanked his sickle back into his waiting hands and crouched into a position ready to defend himself against my revenge, but I could do nothing. Shocked by this betrayal and loss, I felt my knees give out beneath me.

"Have you forgotten your own kin?"

"Halt, lad! Stop this madness!"

I ignored the soldiers' pleas. They were useless anyway. Jasper was far beyond their reach at the moment.

"Let them continue," the lord broke in. "It should prove entertaining."

He charged me again before I could even begin to analyze that particular comment, and it was all I could do to stave him off. I had to draw my sword, as the boomerang was long since forgotten on the ground paces away. I was more than a match for him with the blade, but I would not use it against him. I merely used it to protect myself.

His blade slashed vertically through the air, aimed for my head. I barely caught it with a horizontal slash of my own. The swords were held in place for a time, both of us straining against the other.

It was at this moment I was given the opportunity to see the tiny spider nestled behind my brother's ear. A single strand of web came from it, leading off somewhere out of my line of sight.

I risked turning my eyes away from him for a split second to follow the line. It led right to the lord, from whom, in light of this recent development, I could now sense as the source of the demonic aura surrounding this courtyard.

He was the one possessing my brother.

Forcing myself to kick Jasper in the side hard enough to send him sprawling, I took the advantage and sprinted as fast as my legs and lungs would allow me towards the dais where the lord sat, sipping alcohol and laughing delightedly at this turn of events.

I scooped up the boomerang on my way and halted just before the soldiers guarding the steps, and shrieked, "_You_ did this to him! I'll kill you!"

The lord merely raised an eyebrow. "The siblings have taken leave of their senses. Kill them."

"Yes, sir!"

The two soldiers closest to me didn't even have time to react as I used the boomerang to knock the wind out of both of them. The next two were no different. I ran hard for the group of five that aimed arrows for me, knowing I'd have very little time after they fired to block myself from the attack. I brought the boomerang around to my front, guarding from the presumed assault.

Pain, sharp and hot, spread out from a point in the middle of my exposed back. I barely suppressed a scream of agony. The boomerang fell from my hands. My knees gave out beneath me under the onslaught of pain.

I turned around, disbelieving, and saw with horror that my brother had only now regained control. He, too, was prostrate on his knees, looking at his hands in horror. The chain of his sickle lay abandoned at his side, and tears streamed down his face.

"R-Rose?" he whispered in complete horror, raising his eyes to mine. "What have I done?" It was a battle of wills just to keep my eyes open, and he could see that. "NO!" he sobbed, rising to his feet and running towards me.

"Fire!" The sound dimly registered in my brain until five arrows impaled themselves in my brother's chest.

"NO!" I shrieked. "Jasper!"

He was still alive, but barely. He lay on his back, winded, coughing up blood, and shaking in grief and pain. I struggled to crawl to him.

"Fire at will."

I reached his side, sweat pouring down my face and stinging my eyes. "Jasper..." I tried to comfort him, stroking his face, but the tears kept rolling down his cheeks.

"I lied, too, Rose," he whispered between coughs. "I'm so afraid!"

Not even bothering to hide my own tears, I pressed my forehead to his, sobbing, "Do not worry. I'm right here wi—" My words were broken off with a scream of pain I didn't have a prayer of silencing as yet more arrows rained down on us.

One stabbed roughly into Jasper and I flinched, sobbing, and threw myself over him. I tried to ignore the fact that I could feel no breath in his chest and gritted my teeth against the onslaught of pain in my back.

Everything went black.

* * *

**Soldier's POV**

"A deathbed truce between siblings," the lord sighed. "How ni—Ah!"

With a strangled gurgle, the lord fell face-forward to the ground. His ailing son stood behind him, tall and proud, holding aloft the sword he had used to slay his own father.

"Young Lord, what have you done?"

The young lord's dark brown eyes gleamed coldly out of his pale, wan face as he replied, "This man—this _thing_—is not my father. See for yourselves."

He gestured to the floor, where the lord's shadow still reflected a man sitting up, sipping alcohol. For a moment, nothing happened, then the shadow began to vibrate and finally the back burst open, giving rise to eight spider-like legs.

I and a few others shrieked and fell back in surprise.

The Young Lord casually stabbed his sword into the ground of the shadow, and it dissolved with a tiny, muffled, shriek.

"I had thought for some time that Father was acting strangely," the young man explained. "Clearly, he was possessed by the demon." His brown eyes fell on the two slain youngsters in the courtyard and lines of grief and regret appeared on his wan face. "It's a shame we couldn't have figured that out before calling these Slayers to their deaths. Bury them in a corner of the garden."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"We must be getting close," Emmett said, breaking the tense silence.

We'd never traveled so late into the night before. We had been wandering up this mountain since noon and had yet to find the Demon-Slayers' village.

"It's hard to believe that_ no one_ could tell us where the village is," he continued, irked.

I nodded with a wry laugh. "'Somewhere in the mountains' wasn't too helpful."

Up ahead, Edward turned and snapped, "Stop complaining! Let's just find it."

Perched up on Edward's shoulder, Seth demanded, "Edward, do you intend to steal the jewel fragments from the village?"

"What do _you_ think?"

Emmett sighed at this answer, shaking his head. "I just hope we don't get slain in the process."

I nodded, smiling wryly. "It could happen, too. They're supposed to be pros."

But if I were being completely honest, I was more excited than frightened. I couldn't wait to find out more about the Sacred Jewel, and how it came to be. If it truly came from this village, the Demon-Slayer should be able to give us the whole story. Judging from his pace, I knew Edward was just as anxious to hear it.

Suddenly, the trees started rocking violently as a particularly vicious wind swept through the area. But I sensed something else with it.

"Something's coming," I announced, eyeing the sky for whatever it was I felt. "_Lots_ of something. And it doesn't feel friendly."

Through a small gap in the trees overhead, we could see a gargantuan hoard of demons. There were far too many to count—in fact, I doubted I could count that high—and still more kept coming in droves behind the others. There seemed to be no end of monsters of every shape and size. They all headed in the same direction; but where was that?

"She's right," Emmett interjected. "Their very presence is making me ill."

Edward growled low under his breath, leaning slightly forward on his toes. "I smell death," he informed us. "Those demons are charging in to attack! Come on!"

* * *

**Soldier's POV**

Haru and I were patrolling the gardens later that night, but all we could think about were the Demon-Slayers we had essentially called to execute. I couldn't stop thinking that if only we had caught on to our Lord's possession sooner, those six innocent Slayers would have been spared. But such is the way of the world, I supposed.

"The sibling Slayers were still so young," Haru interrupted and echoed my thoughts.

Just as I was about to agree, the fresh dirt over one of the graves started shifting and jumping, as though something were digging and pushing its way to the top. Haru and I both froze, frightened and fascinated, and watched.

A pale, slender hand and armored arm burst through the pile, quickly follow by the upper body of the young female Slayer. She coughed and gagged, scratching the dirt off her face, then returned to rescuing the rest of her body from her seemingly unnecessary grave.

"I _will not_ die!" she mumbled to herself as she began crawling towards the castle.

All her grunts and mumbles called the Lord from his room and onto the patio. His countenance seemed altered somewhat: the paleness of his face had taken on less of a wanness, as though he were merely fair-skinned. His eyes, in the darkness, seemed more red than brown, but of course that was a mere trick of the scant light.

His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Demon-Slayer. "You are still alive?"

* * *

**James' POV**

Explosions. Screams of pain and fright. Shrieks of blood-thirsty demons. Battle cries cut short. It was a beautiful symphony, and I it's composer.

I stood on a small jut-out of a nearby mountain and observed the death throes of the Demon-Slayers village.

Laughing at my own mental prowess, I leaped from tree to tree, rock to rock, until I had bounded over the village's rather ostentatious gate. I ignored the last, dying warriors and the demons that had made it to the final countdown, and charged to the largest mansion in the village, where I knew my quarry lay waiting.

Five shards of the Sacred Jewel. Granted, one was a mere splinter, but it was still five more pieces.

They lay on the floor of said mansion, surrounded by the strongest of all the demons that had been sent here. They seemed to be locked at an impasse, all of them waiting for another to make the first move.

I decided to interrupt the foolishness.

"It would seem you have avenged your long-harbored grudge against the Demon-Slayers," I noted, striding through their suddenly restrained ranks. Even stupid beasts knew when to respect their betters, though I didn't know for how long they could contain themselves. "And did I not tell you that the strongest of the Slayers would not be found at the fortress this night? Will you now attack me to steal my payment?"

They growled, wanting to move but too frightened of doing so alone. I laughed at their cowardice, and this seemed to mobilize them. All at once, they charged me, and for a sheer moment I deliberated their worth. Should I reforge my body with their strength? Clearly, they were the best of their kind, as they were the ones to make it to the jewel shards.

But in the end, I decided their final show of ignorance was the truest indicator of their mettle. Cowards, each and every one, and no stronger than any of the demons I had already assimilated into my body. They wouldn't be missed.

Within moments, they were all slain, and the jewel pieces were mine.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Despite traveling all through the night, we couldn't find the Demon-Slayers' village or the destination of the demon hoard until the next morning.

As we crested the final peak of one mountain, it immediately became apparent that we were too late.

We all froze, looking upon the remains of what was once a mighty fortress of a village. Two watchtowers, now charred and falling. An enormous log enclosure, broken in places, burned through in others, and completely collapsed towards the end. Tendrils of smoke still rose from whatever lay inside.

"This must be where the demons were headed," Emmett surmised.

"Come on!" Edward commanded, and was gone in an instant. He always claimed to not care about the fate of humans, but I knew he was already searching for survivors.

We reached the opening of the gate—which was crooked and held open by the body of a large serpent demon—long after Edward, but he was still staring in shock when we arrived. I couldn't blame him.

Sheer carnage met our eyes. Human bodies and broken parts of their bodies, pieces of armor and unidentifiable flesh, as well as the bodies and pieces of many, many demons littered the ground and roofs of buildings. Weapons both broken and whole scattered haphazardly. Arrows and sickles pinned demon carcasses to the walls and ground. A few tiny fires still burned around the village, in others, the remnants of flames still smoldered.

I couldn't even find words to describe my horror. I'd seen plenty of battlefields before this, but they were all long since fought on. The closest I'd come to seeing anything like this was the occasional dead body from a demon. I had no idea how to deal with this.

"The villagers must have fought with demons," Emmett said gravely, also taking in the sight. Seth, on his shoulder, remained silent, his mouth gaping, eyes frozen wide.

"There's no mistaking it," Edward agreed. "This is the village of the Demon-Slayers... or was."

I took a few steps forward, trying to find the jewel pieces that were supposedly here, but I got nothing.

"What is it, Bella?"

Edward came up behind me and I answered without turning to face him, "I'm not sensing any jewel shards. There are none."

"None _anymore_," Emmett corrected. "They were already stolen."

"Maybe if we hurry, we can catch them up!" Seth chirped, regaining control of himself at last.

"We'll think about that after we've properly laid these people to rest," Edward rejected. "They deserve that, at least."

"You're right."

I smiled to myself. _Don't care about humans, do you?_

A sudden growl off to my right had me leaping behind Edward for cover. He heard it as I did, and widened his stance to block me. An enormous off-white two-tailed demon cat came around the edge of a building with another, comparatively smaller, demon in her mouth. The sclera of its eyes were red, the irises as black as its pupils and drawn downward in slits. It had a black diamond shape in the fur of its forehead, black ears, and black spiral shapes in the fur on its tails and ankles... and fangs the length of my forearm.

It growled at us, taking a more aggressive stance in preparation. Edward drew the Fang with a surmising, "One demon survivor."

As it got closer, taking small but wary steps, an unexpectedly familiar voice came out of it. "Master Edward, would that be you?"

"What the—?"

"Down, Vera. These are not our enemies."

Suddenly obedient, the demon cat dropped its bloody catch and was suddenly engulfed in a tower of flames. It spiraled around it for a split second before shrinking and finally winking out of existence, leaving in its wake a tiny kitten, a perfect miniature of the ferocious beast of two seconds ago—minus the fangs and growls. It was even smaller than Seth in this form, and, if I were being honest, twice as adorable. I always was a cat person.

"It's so cute!" I squealed, while Edward boomed, "What the hell is going on here?"

The demon cat lifted one of its hind legs and started furiously scratching its own face. After a moment, an indignant squeal was heard, before a tiny, all-too-familiar speck leaped out of its fur and onto the ground, bounding and hopping right up to Edward's face.

"It has been far too long!"

With an exasperated sigh, Edward smacked his nose and caught Ol' Myoga the Flea on his palm with a grumbled, "_Still_ irritating."

I smiled at the somewhat flattened flea on Edward's hand and agreed, "Some things never change."

Emmett looked between the two of us as though questioning our sanity. "You, uh... _know_ this flea?"

"He's Edward's vassal," Seth promptly explained. "Or he _tries_ to be."

It took a few minutes to get everyone up to speed, and then we promptly split off into groups. The demon cat, apparently called Vera, was relegated to removing the corpses of the demons. Edward and Emmett were going to gather the people and dig the graves. Since I couldn't stomach any of these tasks, I was given the chore of rounding up all the weapons used, throwing out the pieces and washing and saving the whole ones. We didn't know if there were wandering survivors of this village, after all, who may return to use them. Seth picked flowers to lay out on the graves.

As we worked, Myoga confirmed our suspicions. "Yes, this is indeed the village of the Demon-Slayers. For generations, the people of this village have trained and worked hard to dispose of troublesome demons."

Grunting with exertion as he dug, Edward shrugged and said, "It would only make sense, then, that they would have been despised by demons."

"This is true," Myoga agreed, "yet it is strange that they chose _this_ time to attack. A number of their finest warriors had been summoned to a distant castle, and the village was left with few to protect it. I cannot help but wonder if those that traveled to the castle are indeed safe."

* * *

**Servant's POV**

My Lord immediately had the young female Demon-Slayer put in a guest room normally reserved for visiting nobility. He called for all one of the elder female servants to bathe and bandage her, and to change her clothes. But after being properly bandaged, the woman put her foot down. Her clothes were fine, she insisted, and she would keep on wearing them.

So she was laid down on the bed, the canopy left open around her so that the Lord, the female servant and I might visited with her.

"I am relieved and gladdened beyond measure that you, at least, are alive," the Lord was saying.

She said nothing, merely rolled over so that her back was to the Lord. I would not stand for such disrespect, especially after the Lord had gone to such lengths to make her comfortable while trying to heal from his own illness! Admittedly, he looked better today that he had in the last year. The sheen of sweat and the color of fever had left his face, leaving only a natural paleness. His eyes gleamed faintly red, but perhaps this was merely remnants of his illness.

"Slayer!" I commanded. "You will show the Lord respect and answer him!"

"That is enough, old one," the Lord chastised me. I bowed in apology.

"Your name is Rosalie, correct?" the Lord continued speaking to the girl as if the interruption and her rudeness were nothing to notice. "My dear, you have my deepest apologies and condolences for the loss of your family and fellow villagers. If there is anything I can do to make your more comfortable, do not hesitate to share it."

She shook her head, and her whole body contracted, curling up in a small ball in her bed. "I don't understand," came her muffled voice. Surprisingly, however, she did not sound close to tears. "How could this have happened?"

"My Lord," came a new voice from the open doors of the patio. Just outside in the gardens, a strange man waited wearing the skin of a white baboon. Nothing of his own visage was shown.

My lord rose and stepped onto the patio to greet him with a terse, "James."

"Yes," the bizarre man replied before launching into his report. "As you commanded, I rushed to the village of the Demon-Slayers to notify them of this terrible tragedy... but the village had already been annihilated."

Both the servant assigned to the Demon-Slayer and I gasped with horror at this latest development, our eyes involuntarily seeking out the form of the injured woman. Her shaking at stopped. She was frozen on the bed. Apart from a sharp inhale of shock, she made no sound.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The sun was high in the sky when the bodies were finally all buried and properly put to rest, and the village cleaned to the best of our ability. Seth and I were just placing the last little bouquets of flowers on the graves as Emmett prayed for their peace in the afterlife.

He lifted his head with a deep sigh and said, "It's a shame... I had hoped to speak with the villagers about the Sacred Jewel."

Edward glanced to his shoulder, where Myoga reclined, and commanded, "Talk to me, Myoga. You must know _something_."

"Yeah." I stood, dusting off my jeans. "Is that why you came here, Myoga? To find out about the jewel?"

"Yes," he answered. "It's been troubling me for some time now. I wanted to find out just what the jewel _is_. After all, anyone who has become involved with it has suffered great misfortune. I followed the rumors of the jewel and found myself here in this village. However, one thing still worries me: during my journey, a man in the guise of a white baboon continually slipped in and out of my sight."

"A white baboon?" Edward demanded.

"Yes. You know of him?"

Edward met mine and Emmett's eyes. "It must be James. He's close by."

* * *

**Servant's POV**

"Tell me exactly what you saw in the village," the lord demanded.

"The slain bodies of countless villagers, and the half-breed vampire who slew them. His name is Edward, and he seeks the power of the Sacred Jewel to turn himself into a full-fledged demon. He must have believed that he would find the jewel in the village, and thus attacked it."

Startling both us servants out of the tale, the female Demon-Slayer jumped out of bed and jerked open the already partially askew patio door, through which we had all been listening. Her blazing blue eyes met those of the Lord and this James character as she demanded through pants of pain, "Return my weapons and armor! I shall avenge my village and destroy this Edward who has slain my kin!"

* * *

**Bing bang boom. Good enough to make up for such a long update time? Well, it only gets better from here.**

_In a desperate attempt to avenge the slaughter of her village, Rosalie the Demon-Slayer summons up all of her remaining strength to hunt down Edward, whom she wrongly believes is the perpetrator. But she's in no condition to fight, and soon starts to collapse under the strain. A Sacred Jewel shard glows eerily in her back... Edward hunts down the newly transformed James and challenges him with the Fang._

Next time: James' Insidious Plot!


End file.
